The launch of the Hong Kong – Shanghai Stock Connect gives foreign investors unprecedented access to the Chinese stock market by simply opening an account in Hong Kong. While the new scheme provides undoubted opportunity, systemic flaws in China continue to cause concern.
MADRID | The Corner | In 2014, the Spanish stock market could register the largest number of IPOs since 1989 with a total of 17 operations, according to the Spanish Stock Exchange (BME). Up to present, eleven firms have won approval for initial public offerings with capital flows amounting to €4.8 billion.
MADRID | By J. J. Fdez-Figares (LINK) | The main European and American stock markets closed yesterday up in a new session with low activity and reduced volatility, where the investors interpreted the words of the Russian President Putin, in his speech in Crimea, as an attempt to avoid the international isolation of his country as a result of their involvement in Ukraine. Yesterday again the macroeconomic figures published in the Eurozone surprised negatively because to the shrinking economic growth in Germany in the 2Q 2014, the first produced since 1Q 2012 during the euro crisis, the stagnation of the French economy and in the whole of the eurozone during the same period – the German and French economies account for about 50% of the Eurozone.
MADRID | By J. J. Fdez-Figares (LINK) | European stocks closed yesterday again with notable declines -with the exception of the Swiss- pressured by a complicated geopolitical scenario, while the macroeconomic figures in the region continue to disappoint. Thus, European stock markets began the day in negative tone after economic sanctions agreed by Russia against the European countries and with the speculation that the country will send troops to Ukraine. The Spanish index Ibex 35 goes through the worst beginning of August since 2011.
MADRID | The Corner | Reporting season in Europe is beginning. Over half the Stoxx600 companies that already showed results surpassed expectations. Profits grew for 70% of this businesses and the average rise was of 9%. European markets’ upward trend being less mature than American’s may point at a EuroStoxx higher appreciation potential. It gains importance as performance results keep looking up and prices context allows EZ companies to rise EBITDA margin from current 15.2% to prior years levels (above 16%).
MADRID | By Francisco López | The first world power is doing worse than expected. USA’s GDP decreased in 1Q by 2.9% year on year, nearly three times the 1% foreseen just a month ago and far from 1.8% that Wall Street expected. European stock markets, unlike the American, reacted immediately with heavy losses. Spanish Ibex 35 leaded the way losing 1.25 and finished below 11,000 points.
MADRID | Ofelia Marín-Lozano | Stock markets are at maximum levels, but this is somehow tricky: such levels usually cause vertigo, whereas minimum levels lead to appetence for indebtedness and need to look for higher risk alternatives for investors who seek the actual yield.
MADRID | By Julia Pastor | The operator of all Spain’s stock markets and financial systems BME has a couple of good reasons to celebrate. The company’s trading volume increased by 49.8% on a y-o-y basis to €72.2 bn in May, as the so-called Tobin tax on foreign exchange transactions has recently been postponed by 2016. This tax could cut BME’s volume by near 10%.
MADRID| By J.P. Marín Arrese | Buenos Aires acted in the right way by bridging the gap between its currency real value and the fake official quote. Yet, in doing so, it has openly exposed the emerging countries’ vulnerability. For the last years, their expansion delivery showed an outstanding record harnessed by cheap money conditions and renewed risk appetite, once the financial crisis looked firmly under control.
MADRID | By The Corner Team | The Spanish market’s activity is reviving: after the continued rally of last weeks, the stock exchange reached a monthly historic record in its number of negotiations and traded 30% more than October 2012 –the highest figure in the last 27 months.