LONDON, June 30, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – European stock markets rebounded on
Friday after the EU struck a deal on migration, while Wall Street also looked
poised to end the week on a high.
Key eurozone markets Frankfurt and Paris were both up by around a percent,
with London posting much more modest gains.
“European markets are rising nicely in the wake of a migration deal in the
European Union,” said Charles Schwab analysts.
The euro firmed on the deal, and was further underpinned by eurozone
inflation rising to 2.0 percent, increasing expectations of an end to the
European Central Bank’s stimulus programme in December.
EU leaders clinched a hard-won migration deal during all-night talks that
Italy’s hardline new premier said meant his country was “no longer alone” in
shouldering the responsibility for migrants.
The leaders also offered a concession to German Chancellor Angela Merkel,
who faces a rebellion from within her own coalition government, with moves to
stop migrants registered in Italy and other EU countries from moving to
Germany.
Wall Street was also posting credible gains approaching midday in New York
after most banks passed US stress tests and Dow member Nike reported strong
earnings.
Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo climbed after all three
were given the green light by the Federal Reserve to return cash to
shareholders.
– ‘Flash in the pan? –
“The week is ending in a very different frame to which it began, with
solid gains for equities in the UK, Europe and across the Atlantic,” said
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG.
He wondered, however, whether this might be “just a flash in the pan,
based on a misreading of the current ongoing trade war situation”.
Asian stock markets mostly closed higher at the end to a tumultuous
quarter for global equities, with China-US trade tensions showing no sign of
calming.
Trading floors have witnessed heavy selling in the past three months, as
the two biggest economies exchanged threats of tariffs on billions of dollars
of imports, fuelling fears for global growth.
An increasing source of concern for many investors is China, where the
main stock market is in bear territory after losing more than 20 percent from
a recent peak and the yuan continues to struggle.
Many analysts warn any trade war with the United States would likely hurt
Beijing more, with growth in the Asian giant already showing signs of slowing
this quarter and authorities looking to provide support.
That comes just as the US perks up with the Federal Reserve expected to
press ahead with interest rate hikes this year and next, and expansion likely
to impress further.
The ongoing US economic strength “implies that the Fed will keep hiking
rates because it will need to”, said Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at
AxiTrader.
Elsewhere Friday, oil prices extended the week’s gains seen on tighter
output concerns despite OPEC and Russia agreeing to pump out more crude.
Bitcoin hit a seven-month low Friday.
– Key figures around 1545 GMT –
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 7,636.93 points
Frankfurt – DAX 30: UP 1.1 percent at 12,306.00 (close)
Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.9 percent at 5,323.53 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 percent at 3,395.60
New York – Dow: UP 1.1 percent at 24,471.21
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 percent at 22,304.51 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 1.6 percent at 28,955.11 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 2.2 percent at 2,847.42 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1672 from $1.1564 at 2030 GMT
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3198 from $1.3076
Dollar/yen: UP at 110.85 yen from 110.53 yen
Oil – Brent Crude: UP $1.60 at $79.21 per barrel
Oil – West Texas Intermediate: UP 89 cents at $74.34