U.S. stocks continued to drop, leading to the S & P 500 index’s biggest four-week loss since March 2009, due to fears of a global economic recession overshadowed the cheapest valuation in 2 1 / 2 years.

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) fell 27 percent this week, the most since the October 1987 stock market crash, after a strategic shift of confidence, undermine its managers. Technology, industrial and materials companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell at least 6.9%, of which 10 groups the most. Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and Alcoa (AA) fell more than 8.4%, some of the world’s largest banks – Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase and Citigroup – lower economic growth forecasts.

Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 4.7 percent, to 1,123.53. It has sunk 16 percent since July 22 for about three trillion U.S. dollars was erased from U.S. stock value, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 451.37 points, or 4 percent, to 10,817.65, down this week to expand its surroundings 1,863.51 points.

“We have a little bit of tug of war,” David Joy, a Boston-based chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, said in a telephone interview. His company is responsible for $ 693 billion. “On the one hand, there are real concerns about what happened in Europe, the pressure on the banking system and the global economic weakness on the other hand, an opponent’s strength seems to be interested in buying a stock valuations attractive.”
Since 2009, the cheapest

Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 18 percent, from nearly 3-year high on concerns in Europe on April 29 the government debt crisis and global economic slowdown. August 8, promoted by the decline in the index valuation of 12.2 times reported earnings, in 2009, the lowest level since March. Its price-earnings ratio is now 12.3, compared with an average of 16.4 since 1954, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

This week’s losses include Standard & Poor’s 500 Index return of 4.5% yesterday amid speculation that Europe’s banks lack sufficient capital. Lars Frisell, chief economist at the Swedish financial regulator said it would not spend too much inter-bank lending frozen. Market also declined, the U.S. jobless claims rise, the Philadelphia-area manufacturing decline the most since 2009, want more stimulation from the Fed receded.

Morgan Stanley Cyclical Index of companies most dependent on economic growth plummeted 10 percent this week to expand its losses, because the July 22 to 26% and dropped to the lowest level since August 26, 2010. Morgan Stanley economists forecast global economic growth this year, cut, and that the United States and Europe are “dangerously close to recession.”?

(From Reuters) – Syrian forces shot dead 20 protesters on Friday despite a pledge by President Bashar al-Assad that a crackdown was over, activists said as thousands marched across Syria, spurred on by U.S. and European calls for him to step down.

Most of the violence was in the southern province of Deraa where the uprising against Assad erupted in March, triggering a harsh response in which U.N. investigators say Syrian forces may have committed crimes against humanity.

“Bye-bye Bashar; See you in The Hague,” chanted protesters in the central city of Homs, waving their shoes in a gesture of contempt. “We want revenge against Maher and Bashar,” shouted others, referring to the Syria leader and his powerful brother.

“The people want the execution of the president,” shouted a crowd in northern Idlib province, reflecting deepening antipathy to the 45-year-old Assad. Some carried banners with slogans proclaiming “Signs of Victory.”

Local activist Abdallah Aba Zaid said 18 people were killed in Deraa province, including eight in the town of Ghabaghab, five in Hirak, four in Inkhil and one in Nawa. Dozens of people were wounded, he said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said two people were also killed in the Bab Amro district of Homs.

Assad, from the minority Alawite sect in the mostly Sunni Muslim nation, told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week that military and police operations had stopped. But activists say his forces are still shooting at protesters.

“Maybe Bashar al-Assad does not regard police as security forces,” said a witness in Hama, where security forces fired machineguns late on Thursday to prevent a night-time protest.

Iran’s Inflation Rate Hits 15.4%

Source: Mehr News Agency

Inflation in Iran in its last calendar month of Khordad (May 22-June 21) reached 15.4 percent, ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday, quoting Subsidies Reform Organization Chief Behrouz Moradi as saying.

“According to statistics from the Central Bank of Iran, the inflation rate in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar was 13.2%, 14.2 % and 15.4%, respectively”, Moradi added.

He emphasized that the growth of inflation is naturally occurred every year and the recent increase in the inflation is not just the outcome of implementing the Subsidy Reform Plan.

Some economists say prices could soar as a result of the government removing subsidies on essentials such as food and fuel, although the government has achieved somehow to combat the high inflationary pressures of removing the subsidies.

The first phase of the Subsidy Reform Plan began in December 2010 and eliminated $20 billion of subsidies on food, gasoline, electricity and natural gas.