Global stocks slid back sharply on Thursday, dashing hopes that President Donald Trump's signing of a spending bill to end a record US government shutdown might enliven trading floors.

Investors had sought a fillip after lawmakers in Washington voted to end the 43-day stoppage that closed key services and suspended the release of data crucial to gauging the state of the world's top economy.

But the main exchanges in Europe and on Wall Street were down across the board, following modest gains in Asia earlier.

"While it's unclear whether the shutdown was ever a real drag on equities -– given that stocks largely rallied through it -– the question now is whether the market's recent exuberance has run its course," said Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at StoneX.

London was pegged back after

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