Friday, June 29, 2012

European shares rise on eurozone bank bailout deal

Marketwatch ticker



European stock markets surged on Friday after eurozone leaders agreed a bailout deal for the region's debt-laden banks.

In Greece, the Athex index of leading shares rose 5.63%, led by its banking stocks.

In France the Cac 40 index rose 4.75%, while the German Dax index rose 4.33%.

In London, the FTSE 100 ended the day 1.42% higher, despite the interest rate-fixing scandals hitting the banking sector.

Spain and Italy, the two countries likely to benefit most from the EU banking agreement, also saw shares gain. Madrid's IBEX index rose 5.66% to its highest level for two years, while Milan's FTSE MIB rose 6.59%.

Stocks in the US also gained, with the main Dow Jones index adding 2.2%.

Banking stocks were the main winners, with Greek lender Eurobank rising nearly 16%.

French banks Societe Generale and BNP Paribas both rose more than 9%, while in Germany, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank, rose 6.2% and 5.91% respectively.

Spanish and Italian bond yields - an indicator of government borrowing costs - also fell on news of the bank deal.

The agreement will allow struggling banks to receive funding directly from the proposed European bailout fund, rather than via their governments.

This should help reduce government borrowing costs. However, it may not be until the end of the year before the bailout money becomes available.

As a result Italy's 10-year bond yields fell to 4.5%, while Spain's eased to 5.8%, way below the critical 7% mark considered the trigger point for countries to ask for bailouts.

The euro also rose more than against the dollar, to $1.2671, reflecting new-found confidence that the eurozone debt crisis is finally being tackled by EU leaders.



Source & Image : BBC

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