|
 Early exuberance in European stock markets was subdued, however, by
a survey showing weakening German business morale.
Fewer than one in five of the bloc's top lenders failed the tests at
the end of last year and many have since repaired their finances,
results released on Sunday showed.
"The success of the exercise has been that it has forced banks to
raise capital ahead of it, and we can now be more confident of their
resilience to future crises," said Aberdeen Asset Management's
co-head of credit research Neil Williamson.
But while the stress tests beat market expectations, the long-term
attractiveness of the sector has been damaged by revelations of
extra non-performing loans and hidden losses that will dent future
profits.
The bloc's banking index initially rose 1 pct <.SX7E> before
reversing gains as shares in Italy's Monte dei Paschi -- one of the
big losers from the tests -- plunged 17 percent. <BMPS.MI>
The index of top European shares <.FTEU3> dipped 0.5 pct, reversing
early gains, after the Ifo business climate index slipped to its
lowest level in nearly two years pointing to a bumpy fourth quarter
for Europe's largest economy.
The euro proved fairly resilient to the poor data and was a touch
stronger on the day at around $1.27 [FRX/].
Yields on Italian 10-year government bonds -- the largest market in
the euro zone's southern periphery -- were 2 basis points lower even
though nine Italian banks fell short in the tests, with Monte dei
Paschi and Banca Carige still needing to raise funds.
Euro zone "banks face a significant challenge as the sector remains
chronically unprofitable and must address their 879 billion euro
($1.1 trillion) exposure to non-performing loans as this will tie up
significant amounts of capital," accountancy firm KPMG noted.
Spanish yields -- another peripheral bellwether -- were 4 bps lower,
as were Portuguese and Irish equivalents.
"There's some relief this morning that there were no Spanish banks
in the test that failed. As for Italy -- that was already priced
in," said Emile Cardon, market economist at Rabobank.
Earlier, Asian equities closed slightly higher buoyed by the ECB's
test results and U.S. and British data on Friday which helped allay
fears that the global economy was heading towards another recession.
The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
closed up 0.1 percent.
[to top of second column] |
Data on Friday showed new U.S. home sales rose to a six-year high,
while Britain's economy expanded 0.7 percent in the third quarter,
still on track to outpace other advanced economies.
Brazilian markets looked set to open with big losses after incumbent
President Dilma Rousseff won the election, beating her pro-market
opponent by a narrow percent majority.
Next Funds' Tokyo-listed Ibovespa exchange traded fund, which tracks
Brazil's equity index, dropped almost 7 percent to seven month lows.
The London-listed Brazil MSCI i-shares ETF fell 9.7 percent to seven
month lows, albeit in thin turnover.
Russian stocks were up around 1 pct after Standard & Poor's kept the
sovereign credit rating steady at one notch above junk, despite
fears of a downgrade.
The rouble fell to record lows against the dollar after a 35 kopeck
widening in the ruble's trading band and central bank interventions
on Friday.
Among commodities, Brent crude extended losses, falling 56 cents to
$85.56 a barrel, after Goldman Sachs cut its price forecasts. Crude
continued on a months-long rout as signs of rising global supply
threatened deeper price losses.
Iraq increased its oil supply in October and Libya's output remains
high, despite instability in both countries.
Gold was a touch higher at $1,231.06 an ounce.
(Additional reporting by Sujata Rao and Marius Zaharia; Editing by
Catherine Evans/Ruth Pitchford)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
