Bank Shares Lead European Markets Higher

By Christopher Whittall and Kenan Machado 

Global stocks moved higher Monday as a stabilization in oil prices and gains in European banking shares supported equity markets.

The Stoxx 600 rose 0.6% in early trade after Asian markets broadly advanced. U.S. futures pointed to a 0.2% opening gain for the S&P 500.

Investors scooped up European banking stocks after Italian authorities said Sunday they were prepared to spend as much as EUR17 billion as part of the shut down of two regional banks.

Italian banks have been a concern for years, weighed down by about EUR200 billion in bad loans, low profitability and insufficient capital. Their troubles have cast a shadow over the wider European banking system, which accounts for a large chunk of regional equity benchmarks.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Banks subindex was up 0.9% recently, while the FTSE Italia All-Share Banks was up 2.5%. Intesa Sanpaolo SpA rose 3.5%, while UniCredit SpA gained 2.3%.

European food and beverage shares logged strong gains, rising 2%, following news that billionaire activist investor Daniel Loeb's Third Point LLC hedge fund has taken a $3.5 billion stake in Nestlé SA. Shares in Nestlé were up over 4%.

Gains in oil prices also added to the positive tone in markets on Monday. Investors have eyed warily a sharp slide in energy prices in recent days.

U.S. oil prices entered a bear market last week after falling more than 20% since a recent February high amid a persistent glut in crude prices despite moves to limit production from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

In early 2016, a sharp decline in oil prices pushed down major stock indexes as investors worried about the knock-on effects of rising defaults in the energy sector. The energy market is also crucial for the earnings recovery in the U.S., where the sector is expected to account for nearly half of the S&P 500's earnings growth in the second quarter, according to FactSet.

Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, rose 1.4% Monday to $46.18 a barrel. The Stoxx Europe 600 Oil and Gas subindex rose 0.9%.

In Asia, the Shanghai Composite index rose 0.9%, with Chinese stocks continuing to perform strongly following MSCI's decision to add them to its indexes. Gains there also helped boost Hong Kong equities on Monday. The Hang Seng Index rose 0.7%.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's tech-heavy Taiex index rose 1.3% to hit fresh 27-year highs.

In Japan, the Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.1%, with financial stocks weighing on the broader index. Signs that interest rates will remain low continue to weigh on Japanese financials, said Hisao Matsuura, chief strategist for equities at Nomura Japan.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note edged up to 2.152% from 2.146% on Friday. Yields rise as prices fall. Investors are looking ahead to a raft of inflation data out of Europe and the U.S. this week.

In currency markets, the WSJ Dollar Index, which measures the dollar against a basket of 16 currencies, declined 0.1%.

Write to Christopher Whittall at [e-mail] and Kenan Machado at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 26, 2017 03:53 ET (07:53 GMT)

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