BANGKOK - Asian stock markets fell Wednesday in holiday-thinned trading after the pace of China's manufacturing growth slowed in April, raising fears of a weaker recovery in the world's second-largest economy. Shares in other regions were poised to post gains, however. The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said its purchasing managers' index fell to 50.6 in April from 50.9 in March on a 100-point scale on which readings above 50 indicate an expansion.

TORONTO - The Canadian dollar was higher Tuesday as economic growth in February came in stronger than expected. The loonie was up 0.44 of a cent to 99.29 cents US as Statistics Canada reported that gross domestic product grew by 0.3 per cent compared to January. That was better than the 0.2 per cent rise economists had expected. The reading translates to annualized growth of 1.7 per cent. GDP growth in January was revised higher to 0.3 per cent from 0.2 per cent. Traders also looked to the start of a two-day U.S. Federal Reserve meeting.

US stocks climbed Monday after the formation of a new government in Italy boosted confidence in the debt-riddled eurozone and as investors weighed up a positive US housing report. About 70 minutes into trade, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 67.28 (0.46 percent) to 14,779.83. The broad-based S&P 500 added 9.07 (0.57 percent) at 1,591.31, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gained 29.30 (0.89 percent) at 3,308.56.

The EU's executive on Friday approved the Spanish government's announcement it would take until 2016 to bring the country's public deficit down under the European Union limit of three percent. "The postponement of the correction of the excessive deficit to 2016 is consistent with the current technical analysis by the Commission services of what would be a balanced - but still ambitious - fiscal consolidation path, given the difficult economic environment," the European Commission said.