(Reuters) - Global shares fell to a six-month trough and Brent crude futures tumbled to their lowest since 2010 on Friday as investors worried about the prospect of a widespread economic slowdown just as U.S. monetary stimulus nears its end.
Assets which depend on economic growth, such as shares and oil, have been hit by a raft of weak indicators from Europe at a time when other big economies, including China, Japan and Brazil face their own hardships.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Reserve is set to wind down later this month the asset purchase program that has boosted markets over the past two years. Many observers doubt the recent stimulus measures unveiled by the European Central Bank will make up for it.