Tariff Shocks & Rate Jitters Ignite Wild 48 Hours in European Markets
European equities seesawed over the two days, buffeted by transatlantic trade tensions and shifting rate expectations. On Thursday Sept. 25, the STOXX Europe 600 index dropped 0.7%, touching levels not seen in three weeks reuters.com. Almost every major bourse closed in the red reuters.com as traders digested a slew of worrying signals: fresh U.S. trade investigations into high-tech imports, surprisingly robust U.S. economic data, and guarded comments from central bankers. By Friday Sept. 26, however, markets regained footing – the STOXX 600 ticked up roughly +0.3% by midday reuters.com and was on track to finish the eventful week slightly higher brecorder.com. The late-week relief came as investors pivoted to bargain-hunting in financial and industrial shares and awaited key U.S. inflation data for clues on interest rates reuters.com.