European shares at 1-1/2-month low after BOJ’s policy shift

20 Dec, 2022

European shares fell on Tuesday, bogged down by real estate and technology stocks, after the Bank of Japan rattled global markets with a surprise policy shift that would allow long-term interest rates to rise more.

The region-wide STOXX 600 index was down 0.9% by 0808 GMT, touching its lowest levels since Nov. 10.

The BOJ decided to allow the 10-year bond yield to move 50 basis points either side of its 0% target, wider than the previous 25 basis point band, in a move aimed at easing some of the costs of prolonged monetary stimulus.

The policy tweak was widely seen as the beginning of a potential end to Japan’s ultra-loose monetary policy and comes just as hawkish messages from other major central banks last week doused hopes of an end to monetary policy tightening any time soon.

Germany’s DAX index was down 0.8%, with German 10-year bond yields touching their lowest in more than one month.

Rate-sensitive real estate and technology shares led declines on the STOXX 600, dropping 1.9% and 1.6%, respectively.

European shares regain ground after brutal sell-off last week

Miners shed 1.2% as prices of copper fell on worries about near-term demand from China after fresh COVID-19 cases hit the country’s industrial activity.

Shares of Orange fell 1% after the French telecoms group said its deputy chief executive and head of finance, Ramon Fernandez, is leaving the company.

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