Portmeirion Six-month Profit Improves - Quick Facts

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China Manufacturing Contracts As New Orders Slump

China's manufacturing sector contracted for the first time in seven months in May amid poor demand, fueling concerns that the weakness in the economy may persist for some more time. The headline purchasing managers' index, an indicator of the health of the factory sector, fell to a seven-month low of 49.6 in May from 50.4 in April. Readings below 50 indicate contraction of the sector.

HP Profit Falls Yet Tops Estimates

Hewlett-Packard Co. said Wednesday after the markets closed that its second quarter profit fell 32% from last year, hurt by lower revenue and weaker margins amid a slump in PC sales. However, the company's quarterly earnings per share, excluding items, came in above analysts' expectations, but its quarterly revenue fell short of analysts' forecast.

Worries About Fed Tapering Lead To Sell-Off On Wall Street - U.S. Commentary

Stocks showed a substantial downturn over the course of the trading day on Wednesday after seeing some strength in morning trading. Renewed worries about the Federal Reserve tapering its asset purchase program contributed to the sharp pullback by the markets. The major averages climbed off their worst levels going into the close but still ended the day firmly negative.