 "Emerging market stocks slump ahead of US jobs data")
Emerging market stocks slipped to their lowest in over two years on Thursday as nervousness about an end to record low US and global interest rates and continued weakness in commodity markets took their toll.
Many investors were keeping their moves small ahead of crucial US jobs data on Friday but there was plenty going on to distract them while waiting.
The Swiss franc fell to its lowest in five months against the euro, as investors sensed that its central bank may have to ease policy, while UK markets were gearing up for what has been dubbed 'Super Thursday' at the Bank of England.
For the first time in its history, the British central bank will simultaneously publish its interest rate decision, the breakdown of how policymakers voted and a summary of their debate, and its quarterly forecasts for Britain's economy, including inflation.
The release is due at 1100 GMT. Despite inflation sitting at zero, at least two of the Bank's nine rate-setters are expected to have decided that it is time to start weaning the economy off crisis-era low rates after two years of strong growth.
Sterling was flat at $1.5603, with bulls targeting its recent high of $1.5691 -- the highest level in four weeks. It gained slightly against the euro to trade at 69.81 pence per euro, not far from a two-week high of 69.52 pence struck on Wednesday.
"The first reaction will most likely be on the number of dissenting votes, if any, and later on the new economic forecasts," said Marshall Gittler, head of global FX strategy at IronFX Global.
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London's FTSE was the weakest performer of Europe's major stocks markets, which saw a largely subdued start to the day.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index, which rose 1.3% in the previous session, fell back 0.4% as weak oil prices also weighed on energy stocks.
But amid commodities weakness and the ongoing uncertainty about the timing and impact of the first US rate hike in almost a decade, it was emerging markets that remained the biggest concern.
MSCI's benchmark emerging markets index hit its lowest level since mid-2013 as fresh losses in China, large parts of Asia and Russia once again weighed.
The pressure continued to crank up on Malaysia. The ringgit hit a fresh 17-year low and some local bond prices fell, in a sign of declining confidence among foreign investors in the face of political uncertainty and low commodity prices.
"If weakening pressure on MYR persists, we can definitely not exclude the possibility of FX outflow restriction," said Amy Yuan Zhuang, a senior analyst at Nordea in Singapore.
Elsewhere, oil prices hovered near multi-month lows after a surge in gasoline stores in the United States.
Brent futures, the global oil benchmark, hit $49.02 per barrel, its lowest since late January.
London copper rose 0.5% as better Chinese data on Wednesday had underpinned industrial metals, although gains were capped by a stronger dollar. Gold struggled to pull away from a 5-1/2-year low as it hovered at $1,086.20 an ounce.