By Jonathan Cable LONDON (Reuters) – The European Central Bank was “about right” in claiming its trillion-euro quantitative easing programme was having a positive impact before it had even begun, according to three quarters of economists polled by Reuters this week. Minutes from the Governing Council’s March meeting showed members “generally shared the assessment” that Read More
percent
When it comes to stocks, America is the big loser this year. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) is up just 1.6 percent through Thursday’s close, making it the worst among major market indexes for 2015. In Asia, India’s BSE Sensex is up 5 percent, Japan’s Nikkei (CBOE:.NKXQ) has risen 14 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Read More
European equities closed mostly lower on Wednesday, despite a surge in energy stocks after Royal Dutch Shell (London Stock Exchange: RDSA-GB) launched a bid for U.K.-listed BG Group (London Stock Exchange: BG.-GB). The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 (FTSE International: .FTEU3) closed flat, having touched an eight year-high earlier in the session after oil and gas firms Read More
By Lionel Laurent and Francesco Canepa LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Dutch Shell’s $ 70 billion (47 billion pounds) bid for energy firm BG Group lifted Britain’s top share index on Wednesday, helping it outperform its continental peers. The FTSE 100 <.FTSE> was up 0.5 percent at 6,998.71 points by 1103 GMT, while Germany’s DAX <.GDAXI> Read More
As European equity markets closed out last week with their biggest weekly fall of the year, an eventful first quarter is coming to a close. Keep in mind that while BofA Merrill Lynch notes that U.S. equity funds suffered $ 44 billion in outflows so far this year compared to last year-making it the worst Read More
European equities traded lower Friday, in spite of hopes that the region might make it six straight weeks of gains thanks to investor sentiment in Asia and the U.S and the start of the European Central Bank’s bond buying program. The FTSE (FTSE International: .FTSE) was trading 0.17 percent down, the German DAX (XETRA: .GDAXI) Read More
European equities extended losses on Tuesday, as the sell-off in U.S. stocks gained momentum, with investors spooked by the weakness in the price of oil, currency turmoil and ongoing negotiations surrounding Greece. The pan-European Euro Stoxx 600 Index (^STOXX) extended losses as the session progressed. The big corporate news of the day was that Credit Read More
By Caroline Copley BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s lower house of parliament passed legislation on Friday requiring major companies to allot 30 percent of seats on non-executive boards to women, as a new survey found females remain grossly under-represented in business life. Although Germany has been led by a woman, Angela Merkel, since 2005, there is Read More
By Marius Zaharia LONDON (Reuters) – European shares rose close to seven-year highs on Tuesday as better than expected German retail sales further buoyed investors days before the European Central Bank kicks off a trillion-euro bond buying program. The gains follow a rise in Asia <.MIAPJ0000PUS> and another record day on the Wall Street <.DJI> Read More
European stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday as fears over Greece’s debt problems continued to make investors nervous. The pan-European Euro Stoxx 600 index (^STOXX) ended flat, off session lows at 376.5. The Athens Stock Exchange closed down more than 2 percent with Bank of Piraeus (Athens Stock Exchange: TPEIR-GR), the National Bank of Greece Read More