By Pauline Foret
(Reuters) – European scholarships finished decreasing on Tuesday, in a context of investor concerns about the state of health of the American economy and technology sector, the Nvidia heavy goods vehicle focus on it after a report De Bloomberg on Donald Trump’s commercial strategy vis-à-vis China and just before its results.
In Paris, CAC 40 lost 0.49% to 8,051.07 points. In Frankfurt, the Dax fell 0.13% and in London, the FTSE 100 won 0.11%.
The Eurostoxx 50 index finished down 0.17%, the FTSEUROFST 300 up 0.14%and the Stoxx 600 up 0.13%.
Most of the major European and American clues have turned red during the session, sealed by growing concerns about the state of health of the world’s first economy.
The indicator of the confidence of the American consumer, published this Tuesday by the Conference Board, seemed to confirm what the index of the confidence of households of the University of Michigan had already pointed out on Friday: the Americans fear a slowdown in the economy.
Consumer confidence, whose spending represents 70% of American GDP, accused its heaviest decline in more than three and a half years in February.
“Based on all indicators that show a drop in consumer and businesses’ confidence, we expect an slowdown in the economy,” said Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics.
These macroeconomic data added to the concern that already reigned in the markets after Bloomberg press information revealed that the Trump administration planned to tighten the screw in terms of semiconductor exports to China, plunging the Technological titles.
Only the British footsia finished the session in the green, the gains in its defense sector compensating for the losses accused elsewhere, after Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his intention to increase his defense expenses to 2.5% of his GDP by 2027.
VALUES
In London, Bae Systems gained 4.2%, heading the footsia after the declarations of Keir Starmer.
The technological sector accuses a heavy decline, weighed down by the drop in Nvidia and concerns around Microsoft’s investments in artificial intelligence, after the publication of a report by TD Cowen at the end of last week. Stmicroelectronics sold 2.2%; ASML 2.3% and Asmi 2.9%.
A Wall Street
Across the Atlantic, the main clues dig their losses at mid-session after the indicator of the Conference Board.
At the end of the fence in Europe, the Dow Jones gave way 0.17%, the Standard & Poor’s 500 1.04%and the Nasdaq Composite 1.91%.
The Nasdaq accuses a heavy loss, leaded mainly by the Nvidia heavy goods vehicle, whose results are expected tomorrow, while information about the commercial strategy of Donald Trump throw shadow on the group’s financial future.
The indicators of the day
The German economy fell 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to the previous one, the Federal Statistics Office in a detailed estimate.
In the United States, consumer confidence dropped to 98.3 from 105.3 in February, while analysts were tabling on index at 102.5.
Changes
The dollar fell back on Tuesday afternoon, digging its losses after the publication of the consumer’s confidence index and the consequent drop in American bond yields.
The greenback yields 0.23% against a basket of reference currencies.
The euro, brought by the expectations of an increase in expenses in Germany, is reinforced by 0.34% to 1.0502 dollars.
RATE
American bond yields plunge concerns about the US economy having been reinforced by the latest macroeconomic indicators.
The yield of ten -year -old Treasuries gives 9.3 base points to 4,3002% and the two years 8.4 base points at 4.0839%.
OIL
Oil prices are marked on Tuesday.
The Brent fell 2.45% to $ 72.95 per barrel and light American crude (West Texas Intermediate, WTI) from 2.55% to 68.90 dollars.
To be continued Wednesday, February 26:
The day of tomorrow will be rich in indicators and business results. The GFK feeling index and consumer confidence in France are expected in the morning, while Salesforce and Nvidia must publish their respective results.
(Written by Pauline Foret, edited by Augustin Turpin)
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