New York — World stock markets dipped on Friday, with US equities stalling after a soft reading on first-quarter economic growth, while the euro strengthened as eurozone inflation rose to hit the European Central Bank’s target. The US economy grew at a 0.7% annual rate in the first quarter, its weakest pace in three years, amid tepid consumer spending and as businesses invested less on inventories in a potential setback to President Donald Trump’s promise to boost growth. The lacklustre number sent equity indexes on Wall Street slightly lower, although strong earnings from Google parent Alphabet, which was up 4.7%, and Amazon, which rose 1.8%, curbed losses on the benchmark S&P index and briefly pushed the Nasdaq to a record. "Equities are off to a slow start this morning as investors are digesting a relatively weak first quarter GDP report, but on balance there remains much to like about the current environment," said Terry Sandven, chief equity strategist at US Bank Wealth Managem...
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