World stocks end four-day winning streak
It was an abrupt end to a four day winning streak for world stocks on Friday (August 7)
Gains halted after President Trump cranked up simmering tensions with China.
He banned U.S. transactions with two Chinese apps, Tencent's WeChat and ByteDance's TikTok.
Chinese stocks led losers in Asia and its currency slumped.
Trump's administration said this week it was stepping up efforts to purge so-called "untrusted" Chinese apps from U.S. digital networks.
The U.S. pressure on China's tech sector appears likely to continue in the presidential election.
And that could mean further volatility in the sector.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index opened lower before trading flat.
Growth-exposed cyclical sectors like banks, automakers and oil and gas firms were handing back some of this week's steady gains.
MSCI's broadest index of world stocks fell 0.2% having had four consecutive days of gains.
Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1%, with mainland Chinese indexes down more than 1% each.
That was despite Chinese trade data for July showing exports beat expectations.
Risk appetite was also subdued with hopes fading for a quick deal by U.S. policymakers on stimulus worth at least $1 trillion.
The White House and Democrats remained far apart on the size of the stimulus package and what to include.
