Key points from this week’s report:
Please refer to the attached PDF for the full report.
- During the holiday-shortened week, European markets rose 99 bps, although on very low trading volume. The Stoxx 600, which remains in a Rally Attempt, still trades below its key moving averages and faces initial resistance at its declining and converging 10-DMA and 50-DMA, 1% above. The 200-DMA, 1.2% above, and the 21-DMA, 1.4% above, are additional resistance levels.
- Overall leadership in Europe remains narrow, and the region continues to see elevated risk levels due to political uncertainties in France and Germany, a sluggish Chinese economy, and tariff threats. Despite these threats, markets have found comfort in the attractive valuations compared with lofty valuations in the U.S. market, where concentration risk is also a major concern as the top 10 stocks in the S&P 500 make up about 35% of its value – the highest proportion since the 1970s, per Reuters.
- Cautious cuts by the European central banks could be viewed favorably by investors, and with tariffs imposed by the incoming U.S. administration, the Fed could slow or pause rate cuts, making Europe an attractive market, especially in the first half of 2025.
- While most top gainers in the Stoxx 600 this week were names such as Aixtron, Novo Nordisk, Forvia, and Worldline, enjoying a bounce off lows, few names, such as Indivior (+8.9%), Sydbank (+6.3%), and Maersk (+5.1%), are setting up bases and outperforming the broader markets. Vistry Group (-14.6%) was the worst performer this week, following a third profit warning, while Evolution (-6.8%) shares fell on the news of an investigation by the U.K. authorities, and Delivery Hero (DHER.DE) declined as Taiwan FTC blocked Uber’s $950M takeover of Foodpanda’s Taiwan business.
- Actionable names on the Focus List include DSV (DSV.DK; DSV DC), Netcompany (NGP.DK; NETC DC), Schneider Electric (QT@F.FR; SU FP), Talanx Aktgsf (TLXX.DE; TLX:GR), Lottomatica Group (LOTG.IT; LTMC:IM), and Technogym (TGYM.IT; TGYM:IM).
