Inflation shock drives European stocks to fifth day of losses

June 13, 2022: European stocks fell for a fifth straight session on Monday, dragged down by economically sensitive stocks, as a sharp rise in U.S. inflation raised concerns about aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index STOXX fell 1.1% by 0712 GMT, hitting a fresh one-month low.

Asian stocks tumbled more than 2%, also hit by a COVID-19 warning from Beijing. Stock markets took cues from a sharp Wall Street sell-off on Friday after data showed the U.S. CPI surged 8.6% in May, its biggest gain since 1981.

Cyclical sectors such as travel & leisure SXTP, automakers SXAP and oil & gas SXEP led morning losses in Europe on fears about a slowing global economy.

Eurozone banks SX7E were down 2.8% on disappointment that the European Central Bank did not reveal any tool to support peripheral bonds at its meeting last week.

Reuters