investing

European Stocks Close Slightly Lower as Markets Track Omicron, U.S. Inflation Surge

Arne Dedert | picture alliance | Getty Images
  • The U.S. Labor Department revealed on Friday that consumer price index (CPI) inflation stateside soared 6.8% annually in November, its steepest yearly climb since 1982
  • Markets have been reacting throughout the past couple of weeks to comments and research into the transmissibility and severity of the new omicron Covid-19 variant.
  • Daimler shares whipsawed after the spin-off of Daimler Truck, which began trading in Frankfurt on Friday.

LONDON — European markets closed slightly lower on Friday as renewed concerns about the omicron Covid-19 variant continue to weigh, while investors reacted to key U.S. inflation data.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally ended 0.3% lower, with most sectors and major bourses in negative territory. Retail stocks led the losses, falling 1.4%.

The U.S. Labor Department revealed on Friday that consumer price index (CPI) inflation stateside soared 6.8% annually in November, its steepest yearly climb since 1982 and slightly ahead of economist expectations.

Data on Thursday showed U.S. jobless claims hitting their lowest rate since 1969 last week, as 184,000 people filed new unemployment insurance claims, with the labor market continuing to tighten.

Markets have been reacting throughout the past couple of weeks to comments and research into the transmissibility and severity of the new omicron Covid variant, with a number of major economies now implementing tighter containment measures.

Stateside, U.S. stocks were slightly higher on Friday despite the inflation surge, after investors on Thursday pulled back from the rebound earlier in the week.

Stocks in Asia-Pacific broadly declined on Friday as investors opted for caution ahead of the data, while keeping an eye on news about the omicron variant.

On the data front in Europe, the U.K. economy grew just 0.1% month-on-month in October, shy of expectations in a Reuters poll for a 0.4% expansion. The reading has fueled doubts over whether the Bank of England will hike interest rates at its next meeting.

British industrial output fell 0.6% in October from the previous month, again falling short of economist expectations for a 0.1% rise.

"The weaker-than-expected October GDP number will give the Bank of England further cause for hesitation ahead of the interest rate-setting meeting next week. The discovery of the omicron variant, and the announcement of new Plan B restrictions, provide a further note of caution for policymakers," said Dean Turner, economist at UBS Global Wealth Management.

UBS does not expect new restrictions to have a material impact on the U.K. recovery, and thus Turner suggested policymakers will likely continue with their hawkish tone, highlighting the need for rate rises at some point.

"However, notwithstanding the current inflation backdrop, it is increasingly likely that the Bank of England will err on the side of caution next week and leave rates on hold," Turner added.

Final German consumer price index inflation was confirmed at -0.2% month-on-month in November for a 5.2% annual incline.

European investors may have one eye on speeches from ECB President Christine Lagarde and other top policymakers throughout the morning.

Daimler swing

In terms of individual share price movement, German automotive giant Daimler was up 2.8%, having plunged more than 16% in early trade following the spin-off of Daimler Truck, which began trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Friday.

At the top of the Stoxx 600, tobacco company Swedish Match gained 7% after the U.S. Senate dropped plans to raise taxes on tobacco next-generation-products (NGPs).

Toward the bottom of the European blue chip index, Danish biotech firm Genmab fell 4.6%.

Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.

Copyright CNBC
Contact Us