Europe: Shares lifted by miners' best week in nearly two years

EUROPEAN shares rose on Friday (Mar 3) as hopes the US Federal Reserve could adopt a measured approach to rate hikes lifted the technology sector, while miners extended their rally on growing bets for a demand recovery in China.

The continent-wide Stoxx 600 rose 0.9 per cent, with rate-sensitive tech stocks up 1.8 per cent.

Overnight, Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic favoured “slow and steady” rate hikes moving forward and a pause by mid or late summer.

Policy meetings from both the Fed and the European Central Bank (ECB), and US jobs data are scheduled for the next two weeks, while China’s annual parliament session is on Sunday when Beijing will set its economic goals for the year.

Mining stocks rose 2.2 per cent with prospects of China’s reopening shoring up demand one theme that played out for much of the week, after the country’s data pointed to improving economic conditions.

The mining index climbed more than 7 per cent this week, its biggest weekly gain since May 2021 and outpacing other major sectors such as defensive plays in utilities, real estate and healthcare. The broader Stoxx 600 index gained 1.4 per cent for the week.

China’s reopening has also been key for luxury stocks, including LVMH and Kering, which have driven much of the year’s gains for European markets along with banks and miners.

“European consumer stocks are set to benefit from a recovery in European and Chinese spending,” Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management, wrote in a client note.

“With wage growth starting to pick up, inflation past the peak, and less hawkish central banks, we expect disposable income to rise and consumer sentiment to rebound.”

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Europe: Shares rise but stubborn inflation data caps gains

A survey showed the recovery in eurozone business activity gathered pace last month, the latest piece of evidence to suggest the economy will avoid a recession.

Eurozone bond yields hovered near multi-year highs, following sticky inflation data on Thursday.

ECB vice-president Luis de Guindos warned of persistent inflation, while Governing Council member Pierre Wunsch said the central bank could consider raising its key rate as high as 4 per cent if underlying inflation remains high.

Morgan Stanley and three other investment banks have revised their forecasts for ECB’s terminal rate to 4 per cent, as inflationary pressures weigh.

Leading regional equity gains on Friday, Germany’s Dax added 1.6 per cent as Europe’s top carmaker Volkswagen jumped 10.6 per cent to the top of the index on a surprisingly strong 2023 sales outlook as it expects supply chain issues to ease.

Sweden-based Volvo Car added 5.8 per cent after sales grew in February.

Lufthansa was up 5.1 per cent after the German airline swung to a “clearly positive result” in 2022. REUTERS