Europe midday: Shares fall as EZ, UK CPI spark rate fears

European shares were lower on Wednesday as UK inflation fell less than expected and core inflation in the eurozone rose last month, increasing the likelihood of further interest rate rises.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.32%at 1030 GMT with all major bourses in the red. The UK FTSE 100 was down 0.37% after official data showed Britain now has western Europe's highest rate of consumer price inflation after it to 10.1% last month, from February's 10.4%.

In the eurozone, inflation fell sharply in line with expectations in March to 6.9% from from 8.5% as energy prices fell, although core inflation rose slightly.

Energy prices in the single currency bloc fell 0.9% year on year,

However, rising core inflation, which strips out components like energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, rose by 0.1% to 5.7%, posing problems for policymakers at the European Central Bank.

“Once again, expectations that UK inflation would finally fall to single digits for the first time since last summer have been dashed. Markets are now pricing in at least two further hikes, taking interest rates up to 4.75%, and are split on whether central bankers will need to go even further after that crucial core inflation number remained stubbornly static,” said AJ Bell analyst Danni Hewson.

“UK consumers will be utterly fed up with the situation and they’ll be angry that other parts of the world seem to be benefiting from inflation falling much faster. Warnings that some prices, notably food prices, might not yet have peaked will be beyond frustrating to many people.”

Oil prices fell on concerns over levels of demand in Asia, with Brent crude down 1.8% and close to $83 a barrel while US produced West Texas Intermediate slid 1.74% to $79.

In equity news, Heineken shares rose as the brewer reported a steeper-than-expected decline in first-quarter beer sales, with a sharp drop in major markets Nigeria and Vietnam, but held annual profit growth forecasts.

Just Eat Takeaway slumped as it lifted its guidance for full-year core profit but posted a decline in first-quarter orders.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com