FRANFURT: European shares climbed on Monday, supported by a rally in British housebuilders, although gains were capped by a rebound in oil prices and elevated bond yields.
The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.48percent at 641.73 points by 0829 GMT. Most major regional bourses also traded higher. British housebuilders’ stocks surged after the government said it would confirm a new equity loan programme for first-time buyers in next month’s budget, reviving a policy designed at boosting home ownership and supporting home construction.
Shares of Persimmon, Barratt Redrow, Taylor Wimpey, Vistry rose between 13.5percent and 15percent. Britain’s blue-chip FTSE 100 was up 0.58percent.
However, broader market gains were restrained by a 3percent jump in Brent crude prices after US President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict. Shares of European energy companies rose 0.6percent, although miners slumped 1.7percent as precious metals fell on the back of a stronger dollar. Hochschild Mining, Fresnillo and Endeavour Mining were down in the range of 4.8percent to 6.3percent.
Bond yields remained elevated. The yield on Germany’s 10-year government bond, the benchmark for the euro zone, was last marginally higher at 3.6303percent, its highest level since June 2009. Central banks have responded to oil-driven inflationary pressures with a round of rate hikes, with the European Central Bank raising rates for a second time this year.
“As hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed) - and other central bank - expectations gain ground, this week brings a relatively busy economic calendar, with the focus on the US labour market and inflation, and another important test for the AI trade with Micron earnings,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote.
As companies begin reporting quarterly earnings next month, investors are likely to demand stronger results to look past the lingering effects of geopolitical tensions.
“They’re still a key driver of long-term momentum in the stock market. The bar has been raised and the tolerance for disappointment is shrinking,” said Daniela Hathorn, a senior market analyst at Capital.com.
Investors will also focus on speeches by ECB President Christine Lagarde and Bank of England Deputy Governor Dave Ramsden later in the day.
Among individual stocks, Danieli plunged 12percent after the Italian iron and steel factory equipment maker missed annual earnings estimates.
Comments