Global Stocks Lower as Earnings Season Picks Up Pace

Global stocks inched lower Monday as investors prepared for another week of first-quarter earnings reports and meetings of the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan.

The Stoxx Europe 600 dipped 0.3% in early trade, following a small drop in oil prices and subdued sessions in Asia and on Wall Street. Brent crude was last down 0.7% at $44.79 a barrel, weighing on shares of energy and mining companies.

Japan's Nikkei Stock Average ended down 0.8% on Monday as the dollar fell 0.4% against the yen to ¥ 111.3240. The Bank of Japan meets on Thursday, and many investors are expecting it to launch additional stimulus measures following a sharp appreciation of the Japanese currency and a recent stock-market slump.

U.S. stocks ended mixed Friday, as lackluster earnings reports from Microsoft and Alphabet weighed on shares of tech companies. Futures pointed to a small opening loss for the S&P 500. Changes in futures do not necessarily reflect market moves after the opening bell.

The Federal Reserve begins a two-day meeting on Tuesday, and investors will be watching the bank's economic assessment closely for hints at whether it will raise interest rates at its June meeting.

Write to Riva Gold at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 25, 2016 04:15 ET (08:15 GMT)

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