Europe: Stocks rally as banking worries fade

EUROPEAN stocks rose to near three-week highs on Thursday (Mar 30), lifted by upbeat results from retail giant H&M and as fading concerns about the global banking sector fuelled a Wall Street rally.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose 1.1 per cent, hitting it strongest level since Mar 10, tracking the recovery in global markets.

“It’s a combination of easing banking fears and expectation that we are very close to peak rates which is lifting indices,” said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

“With contagion appearing to be contained for now, it’s providing relief for real estate stocks amid hopes that interest rate hikes are nearly at an end.”

Europe’s real estate sector jumped 3.7 per cent, as immediate concerns about prospects for the highly leveraged sector eased after a heavy drop in March dragged it close to 10-year lows hit last year.

Banking stocks rose 1.5 per cent to a one-week high, as investors took heart from the sale of failed Silicon Valley Bank’s assets and takeover of embattled Swiss lender Credit Suisse.

Sentiment improved as data showed Spain’s consumer price inflation slowed to 3.3 per cent in March, its weakest annual rate since August 2021 and down from 6.0 per cent in February.

However, while German inflation eased significantly in March on the back of lower energy prices it still exceeded forecasts, pressuring the European Central Bank (ECB) to further tighten monetary policy.

“Core inflation — as evidenced from the regional prints we got today — is rising, and this will be concerning for the ECB,” said Stuart Cole, head macro economist at Equiti Capital.

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“The ‘hawks’ on the Governing Council will argue that underlying price growth demands a robust monetary response; the ‘doves’ will claim that it is the overall headline measure that is being targeted and which is calling for a more cautious approach.”

H&M climbed 16.3 per cent to lead gains in the Stoxx 600 after the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer reported a surprise operating profit for the December-February period.

The wider retail index rallied 3.7 per cent.

Danish wind turbine maker Vestas climbed 5.2 per cent after it won an order in Brazil.

Dutch health technology firm Phillips rose 5.9 per cent after its CEO Roy Jakobs told Dutch financial daily FD the company expected to reach settlements this year related to its global recall of respiratory devices. REUTERS