Earnings Lift Stocks as Treasuries Stall

February 9, 2017 Share Print 0

Positive momentum from earnings filtered through stocks after Societe Generale SA beat estimates, while Treasuries fell with German bunds and the debt of France and Italy gained amid ebbing political risk.

Banks paced gains as the Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose for a third day. Societe Generale benefited from consumer banking, offering relief to lenders that have been dragged lower by anxiety over looming elections. Treasuries halted the longest stretch of gains since the weeks before June’s Brexit vote while bonds of peripheral countries and France rebounded. Gold backed off its highest level since November.

An upbeat corporate outlook following many better-than-expected earnings is proving a welcome diversion from risks surrounding elections in at least three core euro zone countries. As the wait for details on Donald Trump’s pro-growth policies goes on, the mixed sentiment has been on display globally, helping boost demand for bonds and precious metals viewed as defensive plays at the same time as riskier assets such as emerging-market stocks.

Bloomberg

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Craig Erlam

Senior Market Analyst, UK & EMEA at OANDA

Based in London, Craig Erlam joined OANDA in 2015 as a market analyst. With many years of experience as a financial market analyst and trader, he focuses on both fundamental and technical analysis while producing macroeconomic commentary. His views have been published in the Financial Times, Reuters, The Telegraph and the International Business Times, and he also appears as a regular guest commentator on the BBC, Bloomberg TV, FOX Business and SKY News. Craig holds a full membership to the Society of Technical Analysts and is recognised as a Certified Financial Technician by the International Federation of Technical Analysts.