European shares stride into May as earnings power gains
02/05/2017 17:21
* STOXX 600 ends at 20-month high, up 0.75 pct
* Euro zone factory activity hits 6-year high
* Ocado jumps on M&S delivery tie-up report
* Flows recovering at Aberdeen
(Adds details, closing prices)
By Helen Reid and Danilo Masoni
LONDON, May 2 (Reuters) - European shares kicked off the
first trading day of May with gains underpinned by healthy
corporate earnings, and manufacturing data added to evidence of
a robust underlying economy in the region.
Financials and industrial stocks provided the biggest boost
to the pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX , which ended up 0.75
percent, its highest level since August 2015.
French bluechips .FCHI rose to their highest point in
nearly a decade and Germany's DAX .GDAXI wound up at a new
all-time high, while the euro zone STOXX .STOXXE index bounced
to its highest level for two years.
With about a third of the MSCI Europe having reported
first-quarter results, corporate profit growth in the region was
running neck-and-neck with the healthy clip seen in the United
States. Overall, for the first quarter earnings in Europe are
seen growing 13.9 percent, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Brokers were watching the first-quarter results season as a
crucial factor in their argument for European equities'
outperformance. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1I06NN
Euro zone factory activity hit a six-year high in April, a
PMI survey showed, as demand remained strong despite rising
prices. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL9N1DN02A
This added to a series of data points indicating the
economic backdrop for European corporates was improving.
"The economy is doing better within Europe, but these also
tend to be global companies," said Isabelle Mateos Y Lago, chief
multi-asset strategist at Blackrock.
"The main reason why we are optimistic is because European
companies are extremely well plugged in to benefit from the
global reflation story, from China and US growth picking up."
British oil major BP BP.L gained 1.6 percent after its
first-quarter profits tripled, thanks to higher oil prices and
production. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1I40ZJ
Fund manager Aberdeen ADN.L gained 4.3 percent after its
first-half results added to signs of fightback by active fund
managers against the passive tracker funds eroding their market
share.
The pace of outflows from Aberdeen's funds slowed slightly
and revenues rose 10.6 percent thanks to market gains and cost
cuts. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1I4139
Shares in online food delivery company Ocado OCDO.L jumped
up to 8.9 percent. Traders cited a report of a delivery tie-up
with supermarket M&S MKS.L . Ocado's shares are among the
most-heavily shorted in the UK. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1I41YW
Swiss materials company OC Oerlikon OERL.S gained 6.7
percent after it raised its targets for sales and orders for
2017, reporting a strong first quarter. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN1I30DM
Among fallers, Swedish polymer producer Hexpol HPOLb.ST
dropped 9.4 percent after broker Kepler Cheuvreux cut the stock
to "hold" from "buy", saying that following a recent rally the
company's shares now reflected expected growth.
Kepler analysts were still relatively positive on the
company, saying strong cash flow and balance sheet leave room
for acquisitions to drive growth.
Jyske Bank JYSK.CO underperformed Europe's financials,
down 3.5 percent after the Danish lender posted first-quarter
results with weaker net interest income and capital ratio. It
traded in heavy volume and scored its worst day in six months.
urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1I41ZQ
Fiat Chrysler FCHA.MI fell 4.2 percent after data showing
its U.S. car sales dropped 7 percent in April. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1I457P
(Reporting by Helen Reid and Danilo Masoni; Editing by Vikram
Subhedar and Mark Heinrich)
((Helen.Reid@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 7748;))
Keywords: EUROPE STOCKS/