Global stocks weaken with Trump expected to hit back at China

Geopolitical tensions dented global stocks on Friday as investors braced themselves for potential retaliation from Washington after Beijing approved a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong. European stocks traded lower, with the FTSE 100 slipping 1.2 per cent and Germany’s trade-sensitive Dax falling 1.4 per cent. In the Asia-Pacific region, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed down 0.7 per cent, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.5 per cent and Japan’s Topix index shed 0.9 per cent.