Fresh fears for stocks

INVESTORS are braced for another week of turmoil as the spectre of inflation rattles global stock markets.

Closely-watched US economic figures are due out this week and analysts have warned investors may run for the hills if prices are rising faster than expected.

The consumer price index for January will be revealed on Wednesday by the US Labor Department, with the producer price index due the next day.

A higher than expected jump in prices would raise the prospect of a further interest rate rise.

Equity markets have become sensitive to interest rates and rising bond yields in the US, with the FTSE 100, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 index all taking a hammering.

Last Thursday the Dow suffered another 1,000-point fall – second only to the record 1,175-point drop on Monday.

The FTSE 100 dropped 4.7pc over the week, shedding 351 points, wiping almost £90bn off the value of UK companies.

It came after a jump in wage inflation pushed yields on US Treasury bonds up, making equities less attractive.

Investors fear inflation will lead central bankers to hike interest rates faster than expected.