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STOXX 600 down 0.2%
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Euro zone business growth at 9-month high
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Takeover talk lifts Electrolux
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U.S. stock futures inch lower
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STOXX: FINANCIALS AND CONSUMERS DRAG (0950 GMT) Shares in Europe kicked off the day on the back foot with losses across financials, consumer discretionary and tech dragging the STOXX 600 down as much as 1%, although strength in defensives helped limit initial losses. The pan-European equity benchmark index was last down just 0.2%, off initial lows receiving a helping hand from upbeat PMI business activity surveys and thanks to gains in the utility sector following strong update from French power company Engie. A rally in Electrolux following Italian media reports about a potential takeover interest from China also helped offset sectoral losses elsewhere. Financials remained the biggest drag to the STOXX, as a cautious forecast from HSBC weighed and as Credit Suisse shares fell more than 5% to new record lows. A gauge of euro zone equity volatility hit its highest in two months before paring some of those gains.
(Danilo Masoni)
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EUROPE SIGNALS LOWER (0731 GMT)
European shares were set to open a touch lower on Tuesday
amid lingering concerns over monetary policy. Ukraine is also
back in focus ahead of a speech by Russian President Vladimir
Putin to set out the aims for the second year of his invasion.
EuroSTOXX50 , DAX and FTSE futures
were last down around 0.3% following losses in Asia where the
prospect of the Federal Reserve staying hawkish for longer
weighed on sentiment. S&P contracts pointed to a weaker
start for Wall Street too, following a long weekend.
In corporate news, HSBC quarterly profit surged 92%
as rising rates swelled net interest income, although its Hong
Kong shares fell as a cautious outlook left investors pondering
whether the rates boost may already have peaked.
In France, energy company Engie reported a sharp
increase in 2022 profits thanks to higher natural gas and power
prices, while payment services company Worldline posted
a stronger-than-expected Q4 organic sales growth. Both shares
were seen rising at the open.
Also in focus are flash PMIs for the euro zone, UK and
Germany and France for more clues on the strength of a pickup in
economic activity across the region.
(Danilo Masoni)
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CAST AWAY (0652 GMT)
After a sputtering start to the week for the equities
market, flash PMI data from Eurozone, UK and Germany will likely
give some sort of direction for traders. Investors have put on
their risk-off hats so far, with the dollar ascendant on
Tuesday, having erased its year to date losses and as Asian
equities flirt with six-week lows.
With U.S. markets set to reopen after Monday's holiday,
investor focus will be squarely on minutes from the Feb. 1
Federal Reserve meeting, scheduled to be released on Wednesday.
At that meeting, the central bank raised interest rates by
25 basis points and said disinflation was underway. Resilient
economic data for the past month has brought back investor fears
that the Fed will have to hike more and stay higher for longer.
Minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy meeting
in February showed the board abandoned all thought of pausing
rate hikes in the face of sticky inflation and signalled more
hikes would be needed in the months ahead.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin was due to make
a speech on Tuesday setting out aims for the second year of his
invasion of Ukraine. It comes just a day after U.S. President
Joe Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine where he walked the
streets of Kyiv and promised to stand with Ukraine as long as it
takes.
In the corporate world, global miner BHP Group reported a dour first half earnings but pinned hopes on a
rebound in demand from China, its biggest customer.
Europe's largest bank HSBC Holdings unveiled plans
for a special dividend and share buybacks as rising interest
rates swelled net interest income.
Earnings from Walmart later in the day will shed
light on American consumers' buying habits in the face of rising
expenses.
Key developments that could influence markets on Tuesday:
Economic events: Flash PMIs for Germany, France, UK and
Eurozone
(Ankur Banerjee)
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