Global Stocks Slip as Commodity Price Worries Return
December 18 2015 - 5:10AM
Dow Jones News
Global stocks fell on Friday as a rally following the U.S.
Federal Reserve's decision to raise its benchmark interest rate
showed further signs of fading.
The Stoxx Europe 600 was down 0.4% in early trade after rising
1.2% in the previous session.
Most Asian bourses were little changed. The exception was Japan,
where stocks closed sharply lower after the Bank of Japan announced
additional easing measures.
Wall Street snapped a three-day winning streak on Thursday as a
strengthening dollar and oil stockpile data pressured U.S. oil
prices and energy shares.
Brent crude was up 0.5% at $37.24 a barrel, but prices remain
near multiyear lows.
Global stocks initially rose sharply following the Fed's
decision late Wednesday to raise interest rates for the first time
in almost a decade. Investors responded positively to the vote of
confidence in the world's largest economy and reduced uncertainty
about the central bank's plans.
But the upbeat mood was short-lived as investors have shifted
their attention back to weakness in commodities markets.
Gains in stocks after the Fed's move were "knee-jerk," said
Alastair George, chief strategist at Edison Investment Research. He
said investors "need to be cautious on chasing the Fed's confidence
in the economy, because there are real issues that could lead the
Fed to change its mind."
For a sustainable rally in equity markets, there needs to be
better momentum in company earnings, Mr. George said.
In European equities, losses were led by the technology and
chemicals sectors. German conglomerate BASF SE fell 1.1%.
Despite broader losses, miners saw some respite. BHP Billiton
PLC was up 1.9% and Rio Tinto PLC was up 1.1%.
In Asia, The Shanghai Composite Index was down less than 0.1%
and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.1%.
Japanese stocks were volatile after the Bank of Japan said it
would bolster its nearly three-year-old quantitative easing
program. The BOJ said it would maintain its overall target of
annual asset purchases, but would lengthen the average maturity of
the Japanese government bonds it purchases and start a new program
of buying exchange-traded funds.
The Nikkei Stock Average surged more than 2% immediately after
the announcement, but quickly turned negative and ended down
1.9%.
In currencies, the dollar was down 0.7% against the yen at ¥
121.7390, while the euro was down 0.2% against the dollar at
$1.0809. The yuan pared losses after its longest selling streak
against the dollar since 2005.
Gold was up 0.6% at $1,055.20 a troy ounce after falling
Thursday.
Write to Riva Gold at riva.gold@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 18, 2015 04:55 ET (09:55 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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