Wall Street rises with oil; investors shrug off Italian referendum
Reuters
Published Dec 05, 2016 11:05AM ET
Wall Street rises with oil; investors shrug off Italian referendum
By Sinead Carew
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Financial shares and strong oil prices bolstered U.S. stocks on Monday while currency and bond investors shrugged off Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's resignation, following voters' rejection of his constitutional reforms.
The Italian referendum stoked worries about Italy's political stability and its banking system, but U.S. Treasury yields reversed their fall as the initial demand for low-risk U.S. government debt faded with a euro and stock price revival.
"The initial reaction was quite negative, but as we have seen recently with other political events, risks will likely be played out over a period of time," said Brian Daingerfield, macro strategist at NatWest Markets in Stamford, Connecticut.
U.S. stocks rose as the S&P 500 banking index <.SPXBK> erased Friday's losses with a 1.7-percent jump and its energy index (SPNY) jumped 1 percent as oil futures rose.
The Dow Jones industrial average (DJI) was up 84.64 points, or 0.44 percent, to 19,255.06, the S&P 500 (SPX) gained 14.76 points, or 0.67 percent, to 2,206.71 and the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) added 51.83 points, or 0.99 percent, to 5,307.49.
Benchmark 10-year Treasury note yield (US10YT=RR) was up 4 basis points at 2.429 percent, while the 30-year bond yield (US30YT=RR) was up over 3 basis points at 3.097 percent.
While Italy's 'no' vote was anticipated, the crushing margin of Renzi's defeat - 59 percent to 41 percent - stirred alarm among investors in Italian stock markets.
Milan's main bourse was still down 0.4 percent after falling as much as 2 percent (FTMIB). Italian financials shed 2.6 percent (FTIT8300) as a 5-billion euro rescue plan for Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MI:BMPS) hung by a thread.
The euro hit a 20-month low of $1.0503
Outside of Italy, European markets took some encouragement from the sound defeat in Austria's presidential election of a far-right candidate by a pro-European despite forecasts of a tight race.
Europe's FTSEuroFirst index of leading 300 shares (FTEU3) rose 0.7 percent and Germany's DAX (GDAXI) rose 1.6 percent.
In Asia, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (MIAPJ0000PUS) fell 0.2 percent and Japan's Nikkei (N225) closed down 0.8 percent.
China's CSI 300 .CSI300 index tumbled 1.7 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index (HSI) retreated 0.3 percent after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump took to Twitter to complain about Chinese economic and military policy.
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In oil futures, Brent crude (LCOc1) continued its rally after last week's historic OPEC production. It rose above $55 a barrel for the first time since July last year before paring gains to trade up 39 cents at $54.85. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 traded up 5 cents, at $51.72 a barrel.
Written By: Reuters
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