Europe open: Stoxx shrugs off bond sell-off, oil surge ahead of US CPI.
European shares were higher at the open on Friday despite a US bond sell-off overnight and Brent crude hitting $109 a barrel as traders eye US inflation data later in the day.
Source: Sharecast
The pan-regional Stoxx 600 was up 0.29% to 637 at 0713 GMT with all major bourses higher. Brent crude had fallen back to $105 a barrel as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed and Red Sea routes under increasing threat from Iran-backed Houthi rebels who seized the port of Mocha.
US benchmark 10-year Treasury yields hit another three-year high of 4.9708% in Asian trade, sparking a sell-off in global bonds amid inflationary fears caused by an energy supply crisis.
Investors will also be eyeing inflation data from the US as will the Federal Reserve as policy makers decide whether or not to hike rates. Economists are forecasting annual headline inflation of around 3.4% and core inflation near 2.4%.
In equity news, shares in Berkeley fell as the UK house builder said market activity has been further impacted by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and political uncertainty, with buyers “more cautious to commit”. The firm said it was mindful that prospective purchasers may defer transactions until after the Autumn Budget statement at the end of October.
Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com
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