Global shares fall after German data

US stocks edged lower on Monday as a disappointing forecast from Caterpillar and weak German data increased concerns that global growth may remain sluggish.

The Dow Jones industrial average declined 20.55 points, or 0.15 percent, to close at 13,558.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index shed 3.26 points, or 0.22 percent, to 1,456.89. The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 19.18 points, or 0.60 percent, to end at 3,160.78.

European shares fell, as a drop in German business sentiment and fresh worries over Greece and Spain hit markets and pushed investors towards more defensive equity sectors such as healthcare stocks.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index closed down 0.3 percent at 1,115.76 points. The euro zone Euro STOXX 50 index fell 0.7 percent to 2,557.89.

The Nikkei share average fell to a one-week closing low as a firmer yen added to woes

for automakers and other exporters, which have been under pressure from growing tension between Japan and China.

The Nikkei eased 0.5 percent to 9,069.29 points ,

supported by the 200-day moving average at 9,016.86, while the Nikkei China 50, made up of Japanese firms with heavy exposure to the world's second largest economy, shed 1.3 percent.