U.S. Stocks Set to Rise for Fourth Consecutive Week
By
Riva Gold and
Leslie Josephs
Updated March 11, 2016 1:11 p.m. ET
U.S. stocks rallied Friday as investors reassessed the impact of the European Central Bank’s latest stimulus measures and the health of the U.S. economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 209 points, or 1.2%, to 17204. The S&P 500 added 1.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.4%. The moves put U.S. stocks on track for their fourth consecutive week of gains.
An index of energy companies in the S&P 500 gained 2.3% as oil prices rose. Investors sold assets perceived as havens, such as gold and U.S. government debt.
Recent U.S. economic data have pointed to improvements in consumer spending and employment, helping ease investors’ concerns about weak corporate earnings and worries that the country could be headed toward a recession.
“There’s no bad [U.S. economic] news that’s out there right now,” said Jonathan Corpina, senior managing partner at Meridian Equity Partners.
The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 2.6%, led by banks, after the ECB on Thursday announced cheaper funding for the sector through new long-term loans. Spanish and Italian banks led gains, sending the broader banking sector up close to 5%.
“The ECB has created a framework within which banks can rebuild profitability,” said Stephen Macklow-Smith, head of European equities strategy at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The new measures make funds available to banks at attractive rates, he said.
The euro fell 0.2% against the dollar to $1.1155, boosting shares of such exporters as auto makers, after the common currency ended sharply higher in the previous session
On Thursday, stocks initially had gained as the euro fell sharply against the dollar after the ECB outlined a broad package of easing measures, including a cut to key interest rates and an expansion of its asset-purchase program. But those markets quickly reversed, sending the euro higher and European stocks lower, after ECB President Mario Draghi said the central bank didn’t “anticipate that it will be necessary to reduce rates further.” Lower interest rates tend to weaken the euro and boost stocks.
Earlier Friday, stocks in Asia gained slightly in choppy trade. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average gained 0.5%, while Australia’s S&P ASX 200 added 0.3% and China’s Shanghai Composite Index ended 0.2% higher.
An installation in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Global stocks rose Friday, buoyed by an expansive package of stimulus measures announced by the ECB on Thursday, while the euro fell. ENLARGE
An installation in front of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Global stocks rose Friday, buoyed by an expansive package of stimulus measures announced by the ECB on Thursday, while the euro fell. Photo: boris roessler/European Pressphoto Agency
In European credit markets, the buoyant mood continued Friday following the ECB’s surprise announcement. High-yield debt markets also rallied, while financial-default protection fell back to levels last seen in early January.
While the ECB’s easing measures broadly exceeded investors’ expectations, the market’s mixed reaction underscores doubts among investors about how much further central banks can go to lift inflation in the face of slowing global growth.
Next week, investors will turn their attention to the Federal Reserve. The Fed is widely expected to hold off on interest-rate increases at its meeting on March 15 and 16, but a spate of stronger U.S. data recently has kept a move later in the year on the table.
—Georgi Kantchev contributed to this article.
Write to Riva Gold at
riva.gold@wsj.com and Leslie Josephs at
leslie.josephs@wsj.com