6:45 AM 6/7/2018
LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks hit a three-week high on Thursday and the euro and German Bund yields
also rose as investors priced in a potentially earlier-than-expected wind-down of stimulus from the
European Central Bank.
The selloff in safe-haven Bunds drove money into riskier assets, especially financial stocks, despite
investors’ anxiety over how a G7 leaders summit that kicks off on Friday will pan out in view of global
trade concerns.
Bank stocks, which tend to gain from higher bond yields, drove European shares up in early trade. The
pan-European banks index .SX7P jumped 1.4 percent, helping the STOXX 600 .STOXX gain 0.5 percent.
Banks remain the worst-performing sector in Europe year-to-date, however, having been dented by a
selloff triggered by political risk in Italy.
MSCI's index of world stocks rose 0.3 percent to its highest since May 14, helped by
Asian shares which climbed to an 11-week high overnight.
The euro EUR= and Germany's benchmark 10-year bond DE10YT=TWEB both climbed on signs that the ECB
could soon call an end to its stimulus programme.
Data on Thursday showed German industrial orders plunged unexpectedly in April, a fourth consecutive
monthly drop.
LONDON (Reuters) - World stocks hit a three-week high on Thursday and the euro and German Bund yields
also rose as investors priced in a potentially earlier-than-expected wind-down of stimulus from the
European Central Bank.
The selloff in safe-haven Bunds drove money into riskier assets, especially financial stocks, despite
investors’ anxiety over how a G7 leaders summit that kicks off on Friday will pan out in view of global
trade concerns.
Bank stocks, which tend to gain from higher bond yields, drove European shares up in early trade. The
pan-European banks index .SX7P jumped 1.4 percent, helping the STOXX 600 .STOXX gain 0.5 percent.
Banks remain the worst-performing sector in Europe year-to-date, however, having been dented by a
selloff triggered by political risk in Italy.
MSCI's index of world stocks rose 0.3 percent to its highest since May 14, helped by
Asian shares which climbed to an 11-week high overnight.
The euro EUR= and Germany's benchmark 10-year bond DE10YT=TWEB both climbed on signs that the ECB
could soon call an end to its stimulus programme.
Data on Thursday showed German industrial orders plunged unexpectedly in April, a fourth consecutive
monthly drop.