Dow, S&P 500 end down for 6th week

The Dow and S&P 500 closed out their sixth week of losses as further signs of a global economic slowdown set the stage for more losses to come.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 172.45 points, or 1.42 percent, to 11,951.91. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index slid 18.02 points, or 1.40 percent, to 1,270.98. The Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled 41.14 points, or 1.53 percent, to 2,643.73 at the close.

European shares fell to a three-month closing low and posted their sixth week of losses after downbeat Chinese trade data stoked concerns about the outlook for global growth and company earnings.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares closed down 1.4 percent at 1,089.55 points, and fell 1.9 percent for the week, with volume at 91.4 percent of its 90-day average.

Japan's Nikkei share average rose today, taking cues from receding worries over the US economy after a spike in export data, though market players remained skeptical it would break through resistance from its 200-day moving average.

The benchmark Nikkei climbed 0.5 percent to 9,514.44 after hitting an intraday high of 9,613.75, rising above its 25-day moving average for the first time in more than a week. The broader Topix gained 0.5 percent to 817.38.