London, Paris stock exchanges hit all-time highs

February 17, 2023: The London and Paris stock exchanges leaped to all-time highs, boosted by strong corporate results, but Wall Street fell on renewed concerns about future interest rate hikes.

The Paris CAC 40 index jumped to a record 7,387.29 points near midday, beating a peak hit last year by just a few points. It finished the day 0.9% higher at 7,366.16 points.

A day after breaking the 8,000-point mark for the first time, London's benchmark FTSE 100 hit a new high at 8,047.06 points. It closed 0.2% higher at 8,012.53 points.

Frankfurt's DAX gained 0.2% at 15,533.64 points.

But Wall Street struggled, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and broad-based S&P 500 both shedding more than 1%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq tumbled 1.8%.

Traders are tracking economic data for clues into how it might influence the US Federal Reserve, with concern that the central bank could decide to prolong its policy of raising rates to control inflation.

Official data earlier this week showed annual inflation rates easing in Britain and the United States, although they remain elevated.

But wholesale inflation in the United States picked up more than expected in January, bumped by rising costs of goods on higher gasoline prices, according to government data.

The producer price index (PPI) bounced 0.7% in January from December.

Hotter consumer and wholesale inflation raise the question of whether the Fed needs to do more, said Angelo Kourkafas of the financial services firm Edward Jones.

The Fed "will have to be more forceful," Kourkafas said, adding that this was likely dragging markets down.

Briefing.com market analyst Patrick O'Hare added that the data "will stoke worries about inflation pressures persisting at higher levels for longer than expected -- and the Fed keeping rates higher for longer."

While rate increases aim to slow inflation, the higher borrowing costs put a brake on economic activity, raising concerns that they could trigger deep recessions.

Strong US retail sales data on Wednesday pushed Wall Street higher, but a report on Thursday showed manufacturing activity in the highly industrialized Philadelphia area contracted for a sixth straight month in February.

European markets, though falling after the latest PPI data, were buoyed by strong company earnings.

Net profit at European aircraft manufacturer Airbus soared to a record 4.2 billion euros ($4.5 billion) in 2022 despite supply chain problems limiting its ability to increase production.

The good times also continued for energy firms.

Britain's biggest domestic energy supplier Centrica said its operating profits more than tripled to £3.3 billion ($4.0 billion) in 2022, sparking fury as Britons face soaring household electricity and gas bills.

Spain's Repsol joined Shell, ExxonMobil, and others in announcing bumper profits for 2022 on the back of soaring oil and gas prices.

Germany's second-largest lender Commerzbank said its net profit tripled in 2022, becoming the latest European bank to report bumper earnings thanks to higher interest rates.

But inflation is challenging other companies.

Swiss food giant Nestle and French spirits group Pernod Ricard -- owner of Absolut vodka and Jameson whiskey -- announced fresh price hikes as they face higher production costs.

Elsewhere, bitcoin topped $25,000 for the first time since August as traders tracked the positive mood across equity markets.

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