Europe midday: Stocks pare losses in thin trade; Ocado slips
European shares pared losses at midday on the last full day of trading for 2024 as traders wound down for the New Year break.
The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was down 0.11% at 506.54 points after a broadly weaker session in Asia overnight. US futures were also indicating a lower start.
Major bourses were mixed, with Spain's IBEX bucking the negative trend to be 0.53% higher at 11,588, despite official data from the country's National Statistics Institute that annual EU-harmonized inflation had risen to 2.8% in December, up from 2.4% in the previous month.
“European markets are set to open lower, with a quiet week ahead offering little in the way of economic data or corporate news to drive sentiment,” said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Matt Britzman.
“US stock futures dipped on Monday as Wall Street gears up for the final trading week of the year, with 2024’s gains pretty much in the bag. The surging S&P 500 and Nasdaq underscore the market's tech-fuelled triumph, though last Friday's sell-off, triggered by climbing Treasury yields, was a sobering reminder of lingering rate concerns.”
“Adding to the mix, Treasury Secretary Yellen’s debt ceiling warning and upcoming economic data may keep traders on edge as the year comes to an end.”
With a dearth of corporate news, there was little to drive shares. UK online supermarket delivery and warehouse tech company Ocado led the fallers, down more than 3%, after reports last week that many of its Christmas deliveries were missing essential items.
Shares in BayWa surged 20% after the German farming supplies and produce trader said it had reached a restructuring agreement with major shareholders and lenders.
Lufthansa flew higher with a gain of 1.7%.
Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com