By Geoffrey Smith
Investing.com -- It’s a race to the bottom for Europe’s stock markets on Friday, as Donald Trump’s escalation of the U.S.-China trade conflict threatens to increase the pressure on the European economy.
That’s in addition to all the familiar victims of the trade conflict, such as the automotive sector, U.K.-listed miners of the base metals that have fed China’s industrial boom for the last 30 years, and banks such as Credit Suisse (SIX:CSGN) and UBS (SIX:UBSG), which have geared their business models to the growth of wealth management in China.
Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) strategist Ulrich Stephan appeared pessimistic that the threatened tariffs could be avoided, pointing to what he called “the cross-party consensus in the U.S. that accuses the People’s Republic of unfair trading.”
By 4:45 AM ET (0845 GMT), the benchmark Euro STOXX 600 was down 2.2% at 378.98, its lowest since mid-June. The trade-sensitive German DAX and French CAC 40 led the race to the bottom, both losing 2.8%, while the Swiss and Danish markets outperformed, keeping losses to just over 1% each.
Among those that defied the general gloom were International Airlines Group (LON:ICAG), the parent of British Airways and Iberia, which rose 2.4% after posting stronger-than-expected earnings and repeating its desire to appeal a heavy fine for a past data breach that exposed the details of customers.
Natixis was the best performer in a banking sector that responded badly to an increased likelihood of more margin-squeezing interest rate cuts from central banks worldwide.
Natixis said client flows at its fund management subsidiary H20 had stabilized in July after a surge in outflows that followed revelations about the extent of its investments in private debt issued by a controversial German financier. Defensive sectors such as pharma, utilities and infrastructure stocks also stood out, with National Grid (LON:NG) and Iberdrola (MC:IBE) both rising, and Roche Holding (SIX:ROG) edging up 0.6%.
On the downside, shares in Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) fell over 6% after it warned that it may not reach its long-term profitability targets due to intensifying competition in the mortgage business.