Barclays (LSE:BARC)
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Global stock markets headed lower at the end of a turbulent month that was dominated by concerns over China and the timing of the U.S. Federal Reserve's future interest rate rise.

The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was 0.2% lower Monday in early trade, dragged down by a 0.7% decline in Germany's DAX and a 0.8% fall in France's CAC 40. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was closed for a public holiday.

In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index closed 0.8% lower. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 1.3%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 0.3% higher.

Asian stocks were on course to end August with their worst monthly performance in more than three years. The Shanghai Composite has had three straight months of declines.

The losses came after growing fears over China's slowing economy, fueled by a surprise devaluation in the Chinese yuan earlier in the month. Asian currencies remain near multiyear lows.

The malaise spread to bourses in Europe and the U.S., which have seen large price swings in recent weeks.

Concerns over the timing for the Fed's rate rise, which most economists expected in September before the recent selloff, have also set investors on edge.

Comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials suggested at the annual Jackson Hole conference in Wyoming over the weekend that the Fed was sticking to its plans to raise interest rates later this year for the first time in almost a decade.

Fed Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer's remarks that the Fed shouldn't wait until inflation returned to 2% before beginning to raise interest rates "likely led to markets pricing a higher probability (now 32%) of a Fed move next month," said Barclays strategist Krishna Goradia in a note Monday.

The euro was up 0.4% against the U.S. dollar at $1.222.

Brent crude was down 1.5% $49.33 a barrel. Oil sold off heavily last week before rebounding sharply at the end of the week. Gold was down 0.1% at $1133.90 a troy ounce.

Write to Christopher Whittall at christopher.whittall@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 31, 2015 06:45 ET (10:45 GMT)