Daily Investor Briefing: Factory activity in Europe, Asia...

	Click to View in Browser 09/1/2014 Factory activity in Europe, Asia cools; demand lull a concern BANGALORE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Factory activity in Europe and Asia cooled in August after a strong July, as new orders dwindled in the face of escalating tensions in Ukraine and a patchy recovery in China, purchasing managers indexes showed. Investors look past Ukraine, focus on ECB LONDON (Reuters) - World markets advanced on Monday despite the conflict in Ukraine, focusing on whether the European Central Bank will announce plans for economic stimulus when it meets this week. U.S. inflation bonds back in vogue NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. investors are back in the hunt for inflation protection for the first time in two years as rising housing costs - particularly for rent - suggest inflation may finally be waking from its post-recession slumber. Central European PMIs point to slowdown as sanctions hit sentiment PRAGUE (Reuters) - Polish manufacturing activity shrank for a second straight month in August and Czech expansion slowed more than expected, adding to signs weaker euro zone economies and crisis in Ukraine are cooling growth in the EU's east. Hollande, Draghi agree on threat of deflation: official PARIS (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande and European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi agreed on Monday that deflation and weak growth were threatening the European Union's economy, an official in the president's office said. Twenty years on, Schaeuble pleads again for core Europe PARIS (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble renewed a call for a core group of European Union countries to move ahead faster with economic and political integration, 20 years after his ground-breaking proposal fell on deaf ears in key partner France. Imperial Tobacco closes $13 billion of loans LONDON (Reuters) - British cigarette maker Imperial Tobacco has closed loans of about $13 billion to back its acquisition of selected brands and assets from Reynolds American Inc, the lead banks said on Monday. France's Moscovici set for EU economy role, under supervision BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former French finance minister Pierre Moscovici has a "good chance" of being named to the European Commission's top economic and monetary job, a French diplomatic source said on Monday, as attention turned to the line-up of the next EU executive. Euro zone factory growth slows in August amid Ukraine tension: PMI LONDON, (Reuters) - Euro zone manufacturing growth slowed slightly more than initially thought last month as new orders dwindled and factories suffered amid rising tensions in Ukraine, a business survey showed on Monday. Retreat in China's PMIs heightens calls for policy easing BEIJING (Reuters) - Growth in China's vast factory sector cooled in August as foreign and domestic demand slowed, two surveys showed on Monday, spurring new calls for more policy easing to prevent the economy from stumbling once more. Related Video Europe's Russia sanctions dilemma EU cleaners ban sparks rush to buy Related News Hectic pace of Spanish bank deals to slow after Barclays sale Coutts sets aside 110 million pounds for investment advice flaws A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend