Disappointing economic data from China, alongside lingering tensions over Ukraine, are causing certain growth-focused assets to retreat at the start of the week. The FTSE All-World equity index is down 0.1 per cent, industrial commodity prices are lower and funds are moving into fixed-income “havens”. Gold is down $6 to $1,334 an ounce. However, the mood has improved since the European session got under way, leaving markets looking muddled as the day’s negative catalysts encounter the underlying long-term bullish trend. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 started down 0.2 per cent, hurt by weak mining stocks and not helped by fears of an escalation of the crisis in Ukraine as media report the continued expansion of Russia’s military presence in the region. The Russian and Ukrainian stock markets are closed for Women’s Day. But the Europe-wide benchmark is now up 0.5 per cent, tracking a rebound by […]