Europe: Shares at two-month high, UK’s Sage jumps

EUROPEAN shares hit a two-month high on Wednesday, led by rate-sensitive real estate stocks, while British software firm Sage jumped to a record high after reporting strong annual operating profit and announcing a share buyback plan.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed 0.3 per cent higher, with real estate stocks leading gains and rising 1.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, a gauge of euro zone equity market volatility hit its lowest level since July.

Euro zone bonds were little changed after central bank officials did little to dampen investor expectations that the next move in interest rates would be lower.

Minutes from the US Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting showed officials agreed to proceed “carefully” and only raise rates if inflation spikes again, while European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said victory has not yet been won and bets based on short-term data flow were premature.

“Markets are close to being fairly valued and there’s no huge positive catalyst, but yet investors are still waiting, thinking things are going to get better sometime soon, and that’s what they’ve been saying for a year,” said Michael Field, Europe market strategist at Morningstar.

In Britain, finance minister Jeremy Hunt announced tax cuts for workers before an expected 2024 election and gave businesses investment incentives in an attempt to boost the economy.

The commodity-heavy FTSE 100 slipped 0.2 per cent, lagging other regional markets, with heavyweight energy stocks tracking weak crude prices as an Opec+ meeting was delayed.

Sage rose 13.3 per cent to top the Stoxx 600 after reporting an 18 per cent rise in full-year underlying operating profit and said margins would continue to increase this year. The company also announced a £350 million share buyback programme.

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Thyssenkrupp climbed 6.6 per cent after the German submarine-to-steel group reported full-year results with “strong” free cash flow.

German fashion house Hugo Boss rose 3.0 per cent after Deutsche Bank and BofA Global Research upgraded their ratings.

Adevinta gained 4.8 per cent after a Permira and Blackstone led consortium offered to buy the online classifieds group for about 141 billion Norwegian crowns (S$17.6 billion).

Monte dei Paschi di Siena recovered 2.0 per cent after Tuesday’s 7.9 per cent drop as Italy sold a 25 per cent stake in the bailed-out bank. Meanwhile, rating agency Moody’s upgraded its ratings by one notch and confirmed its positive outlook.

Entain climbed 5.9 per cent with traders linking the surge to a Financial Times report saying activist investors are putting pressure on the owner of betting group Ladbrokes.

Home improvement retailer Kingfisher shed 7.0 per cent after downgrading its full-year profit outlook for the second time in only three months.  REUTERS