European stocks rebound as banking jitters ease
European stocks climbed on Monday, as a sense of calm returned to markets following a week of turbulence over concerns about banking sector stability after the collapse of Credit Suisse and two U.S. mid-sized lenders.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.9 percent, with investors drawing comfort from news that First Citizens BancShares Inc would acquire Silicon Valley Bank’s deposits and loans.
European banks rose 0.9 percent after shedding 3.8 percent on Friday, when Deutsche Bank sparked a rout in the sector. Shares of the German lender were up 3.3 percent after tumbling 8.5 percent on Friday.
Shares of Swiss bank UBS, which took over Credit Suisse in a rescue deal last week, slipped 0.8 percent to trade about 15 percent below its early March highs.
Credit Suisse inched up 0.4 percent as the Swiss financial regulator, FINMA, said over the weekend that it was considering whether to take disciplinary action against the bank.
Credit Suisse could face disciplinary action, Swiss regulator says
“Many investors still don’t want to touch the banking sector for fears there is more distress to come,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
“Yet for every bleak situation, there is always someone who sees an opportunity to make money, hence why we’re seeing a rise in the share price of many European banks today.”
European stocks are looking to end the first quarter of the year with gains, buoyed by signs of economic resilience and hopes that central banks are near the end of their tightening cycles. However, European banks are set to end the quarter nearly flat amid the banking sector turmoil.
An Ifo institute survey showed German business morale unexpectedly rose in March, adding to signs that Europe’s largest economy is recovering despite the energy crisis and high inflation.
Among single stocks, Novartis climbed 5.7 percent after the Swiss drugmaker said its Kisqali breast cancer drug had been shown to cut the risk of recurrence in women who were diagnosed at an early stage of the disease.
Healthcare stocks were the top gainers in Europe, rising 1.6 percent.
French telecom company Orange rose 2.8 percent after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to “overweight”.
Shares of China-exposed luxury names such as Pernod Ricard and miners including Rio Tinto slipped after data showed a slump in Chinese industrial firms’ profits deepened in the first two months of 2023.
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