Premarket: Global stocks stall near record highs

News Snapshot:

World stocks were taking a breather on Thursday after a strong few weeks and ahead of a Bank of England rate decision, while Japanese authorities ratcheted up intervention talk again as the yen continued to backslide After two straight record closing highs, the pan-European STOXX 600 fluttered 0.1 per cent lower although there was action in Spain where bank Sabadell’s 12 billion euro (US$12.87-billion) courtship by rival BBVA suddenly turned hostile. In early trading, Britain’s FTSE 100 was flat, Germany’s DAX advanced 0.2 per cent and France’s CAC 40 slid 0.2 per cent. The region’s bond and FX markets meanwhile...