Get 40% Off
👀 👁 🧿 All eyes on Biogen, up +4,56% after posting earnings. Our AI picked it in March 2024.
Which stocks will surge next?
Unlock AI-picked Stocks

European stock index scores best winning streak in two decades

Published 09/21/2018, 12:59 PM
Updated 09/21/2018, 12:59 PM
© Reuters. The German share price index DAX graph at the stock exchange in Frankfurt

By Danilo Masoni and Julien Ponthus

LONDON (Reuters) - Easing fears of a trade war further lifted European shares on Friday, with trade-sensitive sectors like miners (SXPP) and autos (SXAP) leading the advance.

The pan-European STOXX 600 (STOXX) rose 0.4 percent, while the Euro STOXX 50 (STOXX50E) ended up 0.8 percent. Both have had 10 straight sessions of gains.

The last time the STOXX 600 performed so strongly was in September last year, but for the Euro STOXX 50 it was the longest winning streak since 1997.

Markets shrugged off the escalation of the trade war between the U.S. and China, focusing on the fact that tariffs announced this week were lower than expected and on hopes of a compromise.

Inexpensive valuations also fueled demand for European shares, which have been underperforming their U.S. peers recently on worries the region's export-oriented economy could be hit harder by a trade war.

Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) on Friday confirmed its overweight rating on European value stocks, mentioning among their buy-rated picks financials Allianz (DE:ALVG) and BNP Paribas (PA:BNPP), carmaker Daimler (DE:DAIGn) and miner Glencore (L:GLEN).

Data showing euro zone business growth easing again in September - yet another sign that momentum in the currency bloc has passed its peak - had little impact on trading.

Miners rose 1.3 percent, leading sectoral gainers on Friday, after copper rallied as investors calculated that the U.S.-China trade dispute could cause less damage than feared.

Autos rose 1.9 percent at one point before succumbing to some profit-taking to end up 0.3 percent.

3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads .

Strategists at Kepler upgraded autos to neutral this week, adding to signs that broker sentiment toward the under-owned and underperforming sector was improving.

Elsewhere, Just Eat (L:JE) lost 4.8 percent after a report said Uber was in early talks to buy Deliveroo, potentially giving it a major rival in the food delivery business.

"The combination of two competitors is the last thing Just Eat wants to hear, particularly when it is already trying to play catch-up on the delivery side of its business," commented Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.

Shares in British industrial technology firm Smiths (L:SMIN) fell 4.4 percent after its full-year profit missed analysts' estimates.

Belgium's Nyrstar (BR:NYR) tumbled over 30 percent after it issued a profit warning, saying revenues would be hurt by adverse market conditions.

German retailer Metro (DE:B4B) jumped 2.3 percent as Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky is buying more shares in the company, stoking speculation of a full bid.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.