Global Shares Tick Higher as New Quarter Begins
European stocks advance after good figures for eurozone employment
By Riva Gold Updated April 3, 2017 6:58 a.m. ET
Global stocks inched higher at the start of the second quarter, extending the steady ascent that characterized trading in the first three months of the year.
The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.3% early Monday, supported by upbeat economic data on eurozone employment. Futures pointed to a small opening gain for the S&P 500, after a modest uptick in inflation and a brightening economic outlook helped both indexes post their biggest quarterly gains since 2015. Markets in Asia mostly closed a touch firmer, led by advances in India and Hong Kong.
“It looks like we’ve been experiencing something of a synchronized global recovery...and all of that is fairly constructive for growth assets [such as stocks],” said John Stopford, who runs multiasset income funds at Investec Asset Management. “We may top out in terms of momentum, but the level of growth doesn’t look like it’s about to slow imminently.”
This week is set to include monthly U.S. jobs figures and minutes from the Federal Reserve’s March meeting, where officials voted to raise interest rates for the third time since the financial crisis. Investors are also likely to continue to focus on the outlook for U.S. policy, including a potential tax overhaul and a summit later this week between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping that could shed light on prospects for trade.
On Friday, Mr. Trump signed executive orders meant to curb what he calls unfair trade practices.
Krishna Memani, chief investment officer at OppenheimerFunds, said in terms of trade, he expects “a lot more rhetoric than real action.” He views U.S. stocks as beginning to look fairly valued.
“International markets look far more interesting,” he said. “The strength of emerging markets and the strength of Europe make me very hopeful for European earnings over the next few quarters.”
The eurozone jobless rate fell to its lowest since 2009 in February, data showed Monday, a fresh sign the region’s economy accelerated slightly in the early months of the year. The Stoxx Europe 600 index was on track for its highest close since December 2015, led higher Monday by the chemicals and health-care sectors.
Asian markets mostly closed with gains. Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.4%, led by companies driven by domestic demand, despite modestly disappointing data on Japanese corporate sentiment. The main index measuring large manufacturers’ confidence rose to plus 12 in the January-March period from plus 10 in the previous quarter.
Australia’s S&P/ ASX 200 was up 0.1%, helped by a recovery in bank stocks, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was up 0.5%, reversing most of Friday’s decline. India’s Sensex index rose 1%, on track to top January 2015’s record closing high. Mainland Chinese markets were closed.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are due to meet this week.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are due to meet this week. Photo: /Associated Press
In currencies, the WSJ Dollar Index, which tracks the dollar against a basket of 16 currencies, was up 0.1%, with the dollar last up 0.3% against the British pound, but unchanged against the yen and euro.
Yields on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes edged down to 2.385% from 2.396% Friday, while German bund yields fell to 0.304% from 0.326%. Yields move inversely to prices.
The European Central Bank’s monetary policy remains appropriate despite an improved economic outlook and the central bank having conquered deflation, Peter Praet, the bank’s chief economist said in an interview published Monday.
Brent crude oil swung between small gains and losses on Monday and was last down 0.2% at $53.43 a barrel following its best week of the year, while gold was off 0.3% at $1,247 an ounce.
—Paul Hannon, Ese Erheriene, Todd Buell, and Hiroyuki Kachi contributed to this article.
Write to Riva Gold at
riva.gold@wsj.com