NEW YORK, Aug 17, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Global stock markets rose on Friday as
investors put economic growth fears and trade jitters to one side, deciding
that they had had enough drama and losses for one week.
“We’re ending a turbulent week on a more positive note as exhausted
traders the world over head into the weekend in a more buoyant mood,” said
Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at the Oanda trading group.
Equities have had a volatile five days, during which US-China trade talk
hopes came and went and economic data and bond yields pointed to a possible
worldwide downturn.
On Wall Street, the Dow on Wednesday suffered its worst day of the year,
before recovering slightly on Thursday, and bouncing back strongly on Friday.
The index gained 1.2 percent, as investors found relief in hope for
progress in the US-China trade war, and housing data offered enough good news
not to ruin the party, despite a disappointing report on consumer sentiment,
but was still down for the week.
“In the last couple of days, the sellers have been exhausted,” said Maris
Ogg of Tower Bridge Advisors. “The volatility continues. But I don’t think
this is the beginning of a trend.”
Investors also were cheered after Der Spiegel reported that the German
government was ready to boost public spending to head off any coming
recession — something many economists have been urging.
– The spooky yield curve –
The week’s most nerve-wracking event was a so-called inversion of the
yield curve in the US debt market that Erlam said “has spooked a lot of
people.”
The yield on the 10-year US Treasury bond slid Wednesday below the yield
on the two-year note, while the 30-year yield fell below two percent for the
first time ever.
The so-called “inversion” phenomenon — when short-term interest rates are
higher than longer-term ones — is viewed as a reliable harbinger of
recession.
Economists have warned for months that trade tensions would drag down
sentiment, which was already suffering owing to China’s economic slowdown and
fears of Brexit’s impact on Britain and Europe.
The tensions have hit global demand with data this week showing China’s
industrial output had plummeted to a 17-year low. Pro-democracy protests in
Hong Kong were adding to the negative sentiment.
– GE rebounds after accusations –
In New York, industrial titan General Electric surged close to 10 percent
after CEO Larry Culp bought nearly $2 million in shares, boosting investor
confidence after whistleblower Harry Markopolos accused the company of
massive accounting fraud — a charge the company vehemently denied.
In Asia, Cathay Pacific on Friday announced the shock resignation of its
chief executive Rupert Hogg, days after the Hong Kong carrier was censured by
Beijing because some staff had supported pro-democracy protests in the city.
Paul Loo, Cathay’s chief customer and commercial officer, also resigned.
Until recently Cathay had been celebrating a turnaround in fortunes after
Hogg initiated a three-year cost cutting program.
Elsewhere, the opening of London’s benchmark FTSE 100 shares was delayed
nearly two hours by a software problem, the London Stock Exchange said.
“London Stock Exchange experienced a technical software issue this morning
that affected trading in certain securities, including FTSE 100 and (second-
tier) FTSE 250 stocks,” said a statement.
The pound meanwhile continued its recovery, “aided by a series of better-
than-expected (UK) economic releases in recent days”, helping to offset
Brexit uncertainty, according to David Cheetham, chief market analyst at XTB
trading group.
– Key figures around 2100 GMT –
New York – Dow: UP 1.2 percent to 25,886.01 (close)
New York – S&P 500: UP 1.44 percent to 2,888.68 (close)
New York – Nasdaq: UP 1.67 percent at 7,895.99 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.7 percent at 7,117.15 points (close)
Frankfurt – DAX 30: UP 1.3 percent at 11,562.74 (close)
Paris – CAC 40: UP 1.2 percent at 5,300.79 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 1.4 percent at 3,328.32
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 20,418.81 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng: UP 0.9 percent at 25,734.22 (close)
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 2,823.82 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1089 from $1.1107 at 2100 GMT
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2149 from $1.2084
Euro/pound: DOWN at 91.25 pence from 91.84 pence
Dollar/yen: UP at 106.36 yen from 106.10 yen
Brent North Sea crude: UP 42 cents at $58.65 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 40 cents at $54.87