European shares rise as oil rally pauses; all eyes on Fed

UBS AG

16/09/2026 08:11

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Sept 16 (Reuters) - European shares staged a recovery on Wednesday after two sessions of declines as a rally in oil prices paused, lifting risk appetite ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision. 
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX was up 0.4% at 636.81 points by 0705 GMT. Most major bourses rose, with Germany's DAX .GDAXI up 0.4%.  
Attention is on the Fed's decision later in the day, with markets pricing in a 93% chance of a 25-basis-point interest rate hike, according to the CME's FedWatch tool. Rising inflation stemming from the Iran conflict have prompted markets to reassess their rate expectations. 
On Wednesday, oil prices took a breather, down 0.6%. Stocks most hit by rising crude rebounded, with banks .SX7P among the biggest gainers. Barclays BARC.L and Standard Chartered STAN.L were up 1.4% and 1.7%, respectively. 
These stocks had dragged the benchmark STOXX 600 to a three-month low on Tuesday.
Among individual stocks, Babcock International BAB.L retained its annual forecast. Shares of the British defence and engineering group were up 2.5%.
        Barratt Redrow BTRW.L trimmed its home completions target for fiscal 2027, citing planning delays and fewer sales outlet openings. Still, its shares rose 5.1%.


 (Reporting by Sudeshna Ghoshal in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
 ((Sudeshna.Ghoshal@thomsonreuters.com;))