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Stock markets fall as ECB adds to warnings on trade war – as it happened

This article is more than 4 years old
 Updated 
Wed 29 May 2019 10.06 EDTFirst published on Wed 29 May 2019 03.09 EDT
Stock markets fell in Japan, while remaining flat in China.
Stock markets fell in Japan, while remaining flat in China. Photograph: Imaginechina/REX/Shutterstock
Stock markets fell in Japan, while remaining flat in China. Photograph: Imaginechina/REX/Shutterstock

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Closing summary: Investors in retreat following ill winds on trade

Wall Street has caught cold from a chilly atmosphere on European bourses, with all auguries suggesting that the US-China trade relationship continues to be the biggest threat to the global recovery.

European Central Bank vice-president Luis de Guindos warned that a trade war between the world’s two largest economies remains the biggest risk to the world economy.

If that were to trigger a global slowdown it could also cause financial instability, the ECB warned.

The latest flurry of nerves on global stock markets had an unusual source: some newspaper columns about rare earth minerals. China dominates supply of the useful minerals, and could be seeking to use that leverage. You can read more on that here:

The FTSE 100 had lost 1.5% at the time of writing, while the more UK-focused FTSE 250 lost 1.1%.

Tesco was the biggest faller of London’s blue-chip stocks, down by 5.7%, after Kantar data suggested its grip on the grocery sector is slipping.

France’s Cac 40 was the biggest loser of the major European indices, falling by 2%. Germany’s Dax lost 1.5%.

European stock markets fell as investors eyed trade tensions.
European stock markets fell as investors eyed trade tensions. Photograph: Refinitiv

In the UK, the sound and fury of the Conservative leadership contest is taking up attention, although since Theresa May announced her plan to resign the contenders are still in the early stages of their campaigns.

One of those contenders, Boris Johnson, looks like he will end up in court before then, to answer allegations of misconduct in a private prosecution.

Thanks for reading, and please do join me tomorrow for more coverage of markets, corporate news, and economics. JJ

Stock markets around the world are sending a message to Donald Trump: end your trade war with China or face the nightmare scenario of running for a second term in the White House with the economy in serious trouble.

Trump seriously miscalculated if he thought Xi Jinping would quickly cave in to US pressure, writes the Guardian’s Larry Elliott.

On the contrary, Beijing’s hint that it will restrict exports of the rare-earth metals used in advanced electronics suggests it is digging in for a long battle.

You can read more here:

Dow Jones industrial average opens near four-month low amid trade tensions

Wall Street’s major indices have fallen as trading opened amid concerns that China could step up its trade dispute with the US.

The S&P 500 fell by 0.63% at the open to 2,784 points, a two-month low. The Dow Jones industrial average slumped to a near four-month low, down 0.69% to 25,173 points.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell by 0.69% to 7,555 points.

With a few minutes to go to the Wall Street opening bell, it appears that US markets will follow Europe down.

Futures prices for the S&P 500 suggest shares will fall by 0.6% as trading begins. Dow Jones industrial average futures suggest a 0.7% fall for those blue-chip stocks.

American Airlines Boeing 737 Max jets sit parked at a facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Photograph: HANDOUT/Reuters

An update on Boeing, which is still in the middle of a crisis following the grounding of its 737 Max aircraft. The 737 Max was grounded because its safety features were implicated in two fatal crashes.

Reuters reports from Seoul, where the airline industry is currently meeting:

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expects it could take until August before the Boeing Co 737 MAX returns to service, the airline group’s head said on Wednesday, adding that the final say on the timing rested with regulators.

“We do not expect something before 10 to 12 weeks in re-entry into service,” IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in Seoul. “But it is not our hands. That is in the hands of regulators.”

Pickering now puts the likelihood of a hard Brexit at 35%, up from 25%, because a Brexit-backing politician is odds-on to replace Theresa May as prime minister.

According to the bookmakers’ implied odds, the next PM is likely to be a Brexiteer: Boris Johnson (38% chance), Michael Gove (18%), or Dominic Raab (18%). On its own, this would raise the hard Brexit risk.

Raab is the “one to watch”, says Pickering, given his hardline stance, while the others are more pragmatic.

However, Costas Milas, professor of finance at the University of Liverpool, has found an interesting correlation: searches for Boris Johnson on Google move in tandem with sterling-dollar volatility.

Boris Johnson Google searches plotted alongside pound sterling to US dollar volatility. Photograph: Costas Milas

In an article on the Conversation, Milas writes that the reaction to Johnson’s comments on Brexit means he has a role to play in future volatility of the pound.

Given the considerable likelihood of him becoming the next UK prime minister, it would definitely be wise for Boris Johnson to think carefully before making statements that have the potential to move financial assets. The last thing the UK needs is a prime minister who has the potential to trigger considerable instability in its currency and therefore undermine the willingness of international investors to cast a vote of confidence in its already Brexit-battered economy.

Sterling is essentially flat against the US dollar and the euro for today, but it remains near levels not seen since the start of the year because of traders’ perceptions of Brexit risks.

With the dust settled (in the UK at least) on European parliament elections which were painful for both major parties, the chances of a compromise which would avoid a no-deal Brexit have lessened, according to Kallum Pickering, senior economist at Berenberg.

After haemorrhaging support to the Brexit Party, the Conservatives look set to harden their stance on Brexit as the party searches for a new leader and prime minister. The Labour Party, which suffered big losses to the pro-EU Liberal Democrats, looks set to fully back a second EU referendum shortly. Strong support for the Scottish National Party has renewed its drive for a second Scottish referendum.

Altogether, this lowers the odds of a compromise semi-soft or soft Brexit while increasing the likelihood of the more extreme outcomes. The latest sterling selloff reflects the heightened political uncertainty and rising tail risks.

More professions should be included on a list of jobs in which the UK has a shortage, according to an independent body tasked with examining the British immigration system.

Vets, web designers and architects should be included on the shortage occupations list, which would make it easier for people in those professions to gain a visa, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said today.

The MAC’s suggestions would mean that 9% of the labour market is on the list, up from 1% at the moment. Other changes would include widening the doctors, artists and civil engineers on the list.

The government is still technically committed to reducing net migration to the UK to the “tens of thousands” (even if some Tory leadership contenders want to ditch the target). In the meantime the government has asked the MAC to try to work out the ideal immigration policy.

Polls carried out on behalf of Lord Ashcroft on referendum day found restricting immigration was the second most common reason for voting leave in the EU referendum (behind the desire to assert the UK’s sovereignty).

Yet business groups are, for the most part, in favour of keeping a more open immigration policy. Tej Parikh, senior economist at the Institute of Directors, said:

In the current context of an extremely tight labour market vacancies are often going unfilled, particularly in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] areas. This is holding firms back from growing even faster, to the benefit of the UK economy.

It is crucial that migration policy takes into account economic realities. Widening the list will help relieve some of the strains businesses face in searching for talent.

A Northern Rail 142 Pacer diesel train at Doncaster station. Photograph: Richard Woodward/PA

The mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool city region have called on the transport secretary to terminate the Northern rail franchise after a year of sustained misery for passengers.

Speaking on behalf of the 4.3 million people they represent, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram made the demand 12 months on from last May’s timetable chaos, writes the Guardian’s Helen Pidd.

They complain of a litany of failures, with nearly a fifth of all services arriving late following years of underinvestment.

In a separate (but perhaps emblematic) move, the Department for Transport yesterday announced a plan to use the infamous Pacer trains currently in service as, er, village halls.

Read more here:

European stock markets are all still very much in the red just after the middle of the trading day in London.

The FTSE 100 is down by 1.4%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 has lost 1%.

European stock markets fell on Wednesday morning.
European stock markets fell on Wednesday morning. Photograph: Refinitiv

Regulator bans former broker involved in Libor rigging scandal

Former RP Martin broker Terry Farr arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London in October 2015. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

The City regulator has banned a former trader who was cleared of rigging the Libor interest rate, saying he acted dishonestly and lacked integrity.

Terry Farr arranged nine “wash trades” with no commercial purpose in a bid to gain brokerage payments between 19 September 2008 and 25 August 2009, the Financial Conduct Authority found.

Farr was a broker on the Japanese yen desk at Martins, a relatively small brokerage which arranged transactions of currencies and derivatives between financial institutions. He was acquitted of participating in fixing Libor (the London Interbank Offered Rate) in January 2016.

The wash trades meant that Martins received unwarranted brokerage of £258,151, the FCA said, increasing his bonus pool.

Mark Steward, executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, said:

There was no legitimate reason for Mr Farr to make these trades and his actions were motivated by greed. His actions mean he has no place in financial services.

Today’s ban reflects our commitment to making sure that people working in financial services act with integrity.

Summary: Investors take fright as European Central Bank adds warning on trade

Stock markets across Europe have fallen on Wednesday morning amid concerns over global growth. Economists are eyeing the trade dispute between the US and China as the most prominent threat to the long-running expansion.

The European Central Bank warned that the trade war could harm the global economy, and that a slowdown could be the trigger to a bout of financial instability.

ECB vice-president Luis De Guindos this morning told reporters that “a trade war is the main risk to the economy globally.”

The ECB report said:

Weaker than expected growth and a possible escalation of trade tensions could trigger further falls in asset prices.

The dispute over tariffs and trade between the US and China, sparked by US President Donald Trump, has unsettled investors through fears of higher import taxes that could slow trade and growth.

In other news:

Boris Johnson will have to appear in court. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Here is some interesting news in the battle for the Conservative party leadership – and hence to be the UK’s next prime minister: Boris Johnson will have to appear in court to face allegations of misconduct.

The summons to court follows a crowdfunded move to launch a private prosecution of the MP, who is currently the frontrunner in the Tory leadership contest, writes the Guardian’s Ben Quinn.

Johnson lied and engaged in criminal conduct when he repeatedly claimed during the 2016 EU referendum that the UK sent £350m a week to Brussels, lawyers for Marcus Ball, a 29-year-old businessman who has launched the prosecution bid, told a court last week.

Read more here:

The risk-off attitude among investors is making its mark on oil markets as well.

Futures for Brent crude, the North Sea benchmark, are down by 2% today to below $69 per barrel. It earlier hit lows of $68.44.

Futures for the US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, fell by 2.2% to $57.83 per barrel.

Prices have rallied steadily from around $50 per barrel at Christmas to almost $75 in April, but have retreated in the face of concerns over demand as investors await the inevitable slowdown in global growth.

A graph showing that the price of futures for West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell on Wednesday.
The price of futures for West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell on Wednesday. Photograph: Refinitiv

Back in the markets, the FTSE 100 has now lost more than 100 points for the day, or 1.5%. It’s a fairly broad-based sell-off across sectors, with Ocado now the biggest faller, down 5.4% so far.

Every major European index has lost well over 1% so far. France’s Cac 40 is down by 1.8%, Germany’s Dax is down by 1.4%, and Italy’s FTSE MIB has lost 1.5%.

On currency markets, sterling has dipped by 0.14% against the US dollar and 0.1% against the euro. The US dollar index, based on a trade-weighted basket of currencies, is up by 0.1% overall.

There is also an interesting chapter on the climate crisis in the European Central Bank’s financial stability review.

Central banks have become increasingly vocal on the dangers posed by global heating – albeit couched in language about exposures to financial risks.

The report said:

While significant macroeconomic impacts from climate change may occur in the more distant future, some impacts are already beginning to be felt.

There are “key gaps” in data on the financial sector’s exposure to climate risks, the ECB warned. However, what data there is appears to show an increasing toll from the climate crisis in recent years.

The number of natural catastrophes and their associated costs have both risen, the ECB said. Photograph: European Central Bank

Risks to the eurozone from a no-deal Brexit – still a possibility after 31 October – are “manageable”, but there is the small possibility that disruption could coincide with another global shock with damaging consequences, the ECB says.

The financial stability review says:

There remain tail macro-financial risks whereby a no-deal Brexit interacts with other global shocks, in an environment where risks to the euro area growth outlook are tilted to the downside.

If such a scenario occurs, the impact would likely be concentrated on particular countries, such as those with significant ties to the UK.

Such a shock could dent eurozone GDP growth, along with an “even more significant macroeconomic shock in the UK”.

Downside risks to the growth outlook “appear prominent”, the ECB warns, and Italy is particularly in the crosshairs.

“Country-specific debt sustainability concerns” are a problem, the central bank warns. In case you don’t know which country, they provide a handy chart with a large “IT” in the corner:

Italy could be the source of the biggest “snowball effect” in the eurozone, the ECB said. Photograph: European Central Bank

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