Europe: Shares end fifth week higher on rate-cut optimism

EUROPEAN shares inched up on the final day of a week marked by major central bank policy decisions, in which the US Federal Reserve set the tone for market expectations about interest rate cuts being on the horizon.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 edged 0.1 per cent higher on Friday (Dec 15), posting its fifth straight weekly advance and recording its longest weekly winning streak since April.

The German benchmark DAX was flat, while France’s CAC-40 climbed 0.3 per cent after both hit record highs on Thursday.

For the week, rate-sensitive real estate stocks were the top gainers, while the telecommunications sector took the worst hit.

On the policy front, the Fed stood out, signalling lower borrowing costs in 2024, while the European Central Bank held rates steady, pushing back against rate-cut bets on Thursday.

“Our economists see... the hawkish tilt of (Thursday’s ECB meeting) as reducing the risk of the ECB cutting as soon as March, but retain their view of rate cuts starting in April with 150 basis points (bps) of cuts by the end of next year,” Deutsche Bank said in a note.

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Barclays forecast a 25 bps ECB rate cut in April and consecutive cuts in each policy meeting until January 2025.

Meanwhile, ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said although the ECB’s next move should be lowering rates, it should first “enjoy the view” for a while.

Economic concerns were underscored by weak data showing Germany’s economic downturn worsened this month, pointing to a recession in Europe’s biggest economy at the year-end, and French business activity declined faster than expected in December.

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Europe: Shares at 22-month high as dovish US Fed overshadows ECB rate cut snub

Weakness in the healthcare sector weighed for the day, with UK-based GSK slipping 2.9 per cent after European Union regulator pulled the plug on company’s blood cancer drug.

Swedish technology firm Sectra jumped 8.3 per cent to the top of Stoxx 600 following second-quarter results.

Stockholm-listed receipts of Millicom gained 2.7 per cent after the telecom group raised its target and launched a share buyback programme.

EQT rose 4.3 per cent after JPMorgan upgraded the Swedish private equity firm to “neutral” from “underweight”.

Symrise lost 7.6 per cent after the German flavour and fragrance maker cut its full-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation margin guidance.

Campari shed 2.9 per cent after the Italian spirits group announced its biggest acquisition to buy French cognac house Courvoisier for US$1.2 billion. REUTERS