US equity markets retreated - albeit the major indices pared some of their losses late in the session - amid fresh concerns around slowing global growth and diminishing expectations for a quick resolution to a US-China trade- Dow down -221-points or -0.87%. Bank of America Corp inched +0.1% higher in after hours trading after raised its stock buyback program by $2.5 billion to $22.5 billion, which is set to expire June 30 The broader S&P500 fell -0.94% and the technology centric NASDAQ -1.17%. President Trump on said he would not meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before the March 2 deadline to reach a Chinese-US trade deal. Trump’s remarks came hours after CNBC reported, citing a senior administration official, that it was “highly unlikely” for the meeting to happen in the coming weeks. Separately, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said in an interview with Fox Business that the US had a “pretty sizable distance to go” before reaching a trade agreement with China. President Trump is still scheduled to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam on 27-28 February.
