LONDON (AP) - World stock markets fell yesterday amid mixed corporate earnings and on views that the US Federal Reserve's expected stimulus measures will be more modest and gradual than expected.

A report on orders for US manufactured goods also weighed down sentiment as it suggested demand in the world's largest economy remains subdued.

Investors did not find any relief either in US new home sales, which rose last month but not by enough to lift the struggling economy.

Britain's FTSE 100 slid 1.1 percent to close at 5,646.02 and France's CAC-40 fell one percent to end at 3,815.77. Germany's DAX dipped 0.7 percent to finish at 6,568.

Deutsche Bank AG reported a €1.2 billion ($1.7 billion) loss for the third quarter, due to a big charge related to its planned takeover of Postbank AG. Underlying earnings were not as bad as expected, however, and shares were up 1.1 percent.

German automaker Volkswagen AG said earnings for the third quarter of 2010 jumped on demand from China and strong sales of its Audi cars. VW shares held steady on the news.

Swedish appliance maker Electrolux AB and Spanish bank BBVA reported lower profits - their shares were down 4.5 percent and three percent, respectively. Finnish paper maker Stora Enso Oyj was more upbeat and its stock rose 0.7 percent.

In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index trimmed gains to close up just 9.65 points, or 0.1 percent, at 9,387.03. Exporters got a modest lift as the yen reversed some of its recent strength against the US dollar.

Investors were reluctant to trade heavily ahead of the release of corporate results from major Japanese companies including Sony Corp. and Honda Motor Co. later this week.

South Korea's Kospi fell 0.5 percent to 1,909.54 after government figures showed the country's economic growth slowed sharply in the third quarter on weaker exports and manufacturing. Asia's fourth-largest economy expanded 0.7 percent in the July-September period after 1.4 percent growth in the previous quarter.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index tumbled 1.9 percent to 23,164.58 and mainland China's benchmark dropped 1.5 percent to 2,997.05.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.9 percent to 4,648.1. Benchmarks in India, Singapore and Taiwan also fell.

In currencies, the dollar rose to 81.54 yen from 81.49 yen late on Tuesday in New York. The euro fell to $1.3791 from $1.3850.

Benchmark crude for November delivery slid $1.49 to $82.17 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose three cents to settle at $82.55 on Tuesday.