By European stocks edged slightly higher on Wednesday as investors awaited key monetary policy decisions from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England.
Markets seem to have priced in a 25-basis-point rate cut by the Federal Reserve later in the day, with attention turning to the Fed’s economic projections and dot plot for guidance on the pace of rate cuts expected in 2025.
Among major indices, the German DAX was inching up, France’s CAC 40 added 0.2%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 rose 0.4%.
The pan-European STOXX 600 inched up to 514.06, recovering slightly after a 0.4% decline on Tuesday amid political uncertainties in Germany and France.
UK’s FTSE 100 inches higher ahead of BOE, Fed decision
UK stocks advanced on Wednesday morning, with the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 both climbing 0.4% as investors balanced economic data against central bank policy expectations.
The British pound remained stable despite data showing UK inflation climbed to an eight-month high in November.
The consumer price index rose 2.6% annually, up from 2.3% in October, while core inflation, which excludes energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, increased to 3.5% from 3.3%.
The figures reinforced expectations that the Bank of England will maintain its current interest rates at its final meeting of the year on Thursday.
Germany’s Dax halts losing streak
Germany’s DAX halting its three straight session losing streak on Wednesday.
German markets have remained under pressure as the German government collapsed on Monday after Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in Parliament, marking a significant political upheaval.
The collapse of Scholz’s government deepens the leadership crisis in Germany, raising concerns about political stability and the country’s ability to navigate the current geopolitical and economic turbulence.
French stocks resilient after Moody’s downgrade
French government bonds and stock markets faced selloffs as political upheaval in the country continued to weigh on investor sentiment.
However, the CAC 40 managed to remain in the green.
French banking stocks declined sharply following Moody’s downgrade of seven banks, reflecting heightened concerns amid ongoing political turmoil.
The downgrade comes shortly after Moody’s reduced France’s credit rating, citing the country’s prolonged political instability.
The downgrade triggered a selloff in both French government bonds and the broader stock markets, further souring investment sentiment and adding to the financial sector’s woes.
US markets ahead of Fed decision
US stock futures showed a positive start, with Dow futures rising 0.25%, S&P 500 futures up by 0.27%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gaining 0.25%.
The US Dollar Index edged up 0.04% to 107.00.
In currency movements, USD/JPY rose 0.10%, reaching 153.62, while USD/AUD saw a stronger move, up 0.44%, trading at 1.5850.
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