Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

StockBeat - Chinese Stimulus Prolongs Europe's Party; Auto Parts Lead

Published 17/02/2020, 10:24
Updated 17/02/2020, 10:43
© Reuters.

© Reuters.

By Geoffrey Smith

Investing.com -- Europe’s stocks briefly touched a new record high on Monday, as the latest shot of monetary stimulus in China circulated through the veins of the world’s financial markets, numbing fears of the Covid-19 virus.

The benchmark Euro Stoxx 600 rose as high as 432.48 before retracing to be at 431.58 by 5:25 AM ET (1025 GMT). The U.K. FTSE 100 was up 0.3%, while the German Dax was up 0.2% and the French CAC 40 up 0.1% on a day when trading is expected to be subdued by the closure of U.S. cash markets for the Presidents Day holiday.

Automotive stocks were among the biggest gainers after China’s central bank cut one of its main interest rates and added more short-term liquidity to the local market, while Beijing also hinted at future tax cuts.

The news was accompanied by reports of a further drop in new cases of Covid-19 reported in China, as well as a slowdown in deaths. There was also more upbeat anecdotal news as Macau gave its casinos permission to reopen from Thursday.

The automotive sector has various channels of exposure to the virus, chiefly through the impact on local sales in the world’s biggest market, but also through its supply chain. Kia Motors closed down all three of its plants in South Korea last week citing shortages of components from Chinese suppliers, while Fiat Chrysler temporarily closed a plant in Serbia for the same reasons.

French components groups Faurecia (PA:EPED) and Valeo (PA:VLOF) led the sector higher with gains of 6% and 5.4%, after Faurecia published stronger-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter. German components groups Schaeffler, Continental and Hella also rose by between 2% and 3%.

Elsewhere, the red ink was more visible. Royal Bank of Scotland Group (LON:RBS), which last week said it would rebrand itself NatWest, fell 1.5% amid fears that the U.K. government may start a firesale of its shareholding in the bank to fund its ambitious spending plans.

Bayer (DE:BAYGN) stock fell 2.4% after a new court ruling awarding heavy damages to a farmer who claimed the German chemicals giant’s dicamba weedkiller had ruined his orchards. That creates a second source of litigation risk, on top of separate claims against its Roundup product. Both were developed by Monsanto (NYSE:MON), which Bayer agreed to buy in 2017. Bayer stock is still up 25% from last year’s low, but has almost halved in value since 2015.

U.K. asset manager Jupiter Fund Management (LON:JUP) rose 6.8% to its highest since August 2018 after announcing the acquisition of smaller rival Merian, which had been spun out of the Old Mutual Group.

U.K. fund manager Jupiter rose 6.8% to its highest since August 2018 after announcing the acquisition of smaller rival Merian, which had been spun out of the Old Mutual Group.

Electricite de France (PA:EDF) stock, meanwhile, hit another 12-month high, extending gains after reporting better-than-expected full-year earnings for 2019 and predicting further improvement in 2020.

French engineering group Alstom SA (PA:ALSO) hit a 10-year high after confirming it's in talks to merge with Bombardier's (TSX:BBDb) rail unit. That comes after the European Union Commission struck down its plans to merge with Siemens' rail business nine months ago.

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.