EUROPE MARKETS: European Retail Stocks Push Higher, While Energy Shares Languish

By Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Morrisons gains, Philips falls

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stocks rose Tuesday, with a jump among retail stocks aiding the pan-European equity index, but energy-related shares were stuck in the red as oil prices traded near six-year lows.

The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.8% to 342.53, pushing past a lower open.

Nearly topping the index was WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC , with shares rising 5.2% as the U.K. retailer said Chief Executive Dalton Philips will leave after five years in the role. The announcement came as Morrisons reported a decline in sales excluding fuel during the six-week Christmas period.

Meanwhile, shares of Metro AG bounced up 3.3% after the German retailer said fiscal first-quarter sales fell 2.2% to 18.3 billion euros ($21.6 billion), but were still above the consensus of EUR18.2 billion in a survey by Reuters. The company said sales were pulled lower by the slump in the Russian ruble and the disposal of its Real business in Eastern Europe.

The Stoxx Europe 600 retail group rose 1.9%, finding support from gains in U.K. retailers Tesco PLC and J Sainsbury PLC . The U.K. FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to 6,536.

U.K. stocks extended gains after December inflation figures came in lower than expected, dampening rate-hike expectations for the Bank of England. But the pound fell, buying $1.5099 compared with $1.5120 ahead of the report.

(Read more about U:K: retail stocks http://www.marketwatch.com/story/uk-retailers-rally-after-christmas-sales-numbers-2015-01-13.).

A number of energy-related shares, however, moved lower as Brent crude futures traded in London near six-year lows, down more than 3%, to below $46 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude-oil futures (CLG5) lost 3%, to trade below $45 a barrel.

The Stoxx Europe 600 oil and gas group shed 0.3%, with producer Tullow Oil off 3.6%. Jefferies initiated coverage of the oil producer with an underperform rating. Shares of French oil-and-gas services provider Technip SA were down 1.4%, and oil major Royal Dutch Shell PLC was lower by 0.7%.

On the country index, Germany's DAX 30 rose 0.8% to 9,854.98, and France's CAC 40 gained 0.8% to 4,260.

Among other movers, Philips NV shares fell 2% as the electronics company said a delay in the production of CT scanners will reduce full-year earnings by EUR225 million.

Gemalto NV fell 3.4% after the digital-security company was downgraded to underperform from neutral at Exane BNP Paribas.

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