S&P 500

The US added 171,000 jobs in October, a higher-than-expected figure that suggests the country's economic recovery remains on track.

Wall Street bounced back shortly after open today following a two day lock-down forced by extreme weather conditions in New York City.

Equity trading was suspended in the US today as Hurricane Sandy approached New York City with 70-mile an hour winds and a threat of an 11 foot sea surge.

Investors across Europe and the US are in flight-mode this afternoon, with US markets opening sharply lower as the weak corporate earnings season continues to plague sentiment.

A positive start to the third quarter earnings season has lifted equity prices higher on the major US and European markets.

Major European indices strengthened this afternoon as speculation over a Spanish bailout ramped up a notch.

Analysts have suggested the rest of October will be a 'make or break' period for US equity markets as companies continue to report their Q3 earnings.

Twenty-five years ago to this month, financial markets across the world went into freefall on a day that has come to be known as ‘Black Monday'.

JAPAN

The FTSE 100 was off over 1% mid-afternoon as investors spooked by the latest developments in Spain took risk off the table.