European stocks weaken after weak Chinese data raises recovery doubts

Investing.com - European stock markets have slipped lower Friday, with signs that the Chinese economy is struggling to recover from the impact of the COVID pandemic overshadowing the positive sentiment generated by the rally on Wall Street overnight.

At 03:25 ET (07:25 GMT), the DAX index in Germany traded 0.4% lower, the CAC 40 in France fell 0.2%, while the FTSE 100 in the U.K. traded 0.3% lower.

Weak Chinese inflation data weighs

European stocks sold off Friday after data released earlier in the session showed that Chinese consumer inflation contracted in May from the prior month, while factory gate inflation sank at its fastest pace in seven years.

This weak inflation data raised further questions over a slowing economic recovery in the country, the major growth driver in the region as well as a vital export market for many of Europe’s senior companies. 

ECB to hike next week

Additionally, the European Central Bank is widely expected to increase interest rates next week, with a quarter-point increase fully priced for Thursday.

The only real uncertainty is when the following quarter-point increase will come, i.e. will the ECB take the summer off to re-evaluate?

ECB President Christine Lagarde said on Monday it was too early to call a peak in core inflation, and a clear majority of economists polled by Reuters expects another hike of 25 basis points in July.

ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos is due to speak at an event in Madrid later in the session, while Italian industrial production data for April could also provide guidance.

Sentiment had been boosted by a positive U.S. close

Equities on Wall Street closed higher Thursday, with the broad-based S&P 500 index ending at a new high for the year, after applications for U.S. unemployment benefits jumped last week to the highest level since October 2021.

Investors have taken this sign of weakness in the U.S. labor market as boosting the chances of the Federal Reserve skipping a rate hike next week, lessening the monetary pressure on the U.S. economy.

Dassault Systemes targets doubling of earnings

In corporate news, Dassault Systemes (EPA:DAST) stock fell 1.5%, handing back some of its gains of over 20% so far this year despite the French software provider announcing it was targeting a doubling of its earnings per share by 2028.

It also said that Pascal Daloz will become its new CEO at the start of next year.

Oil slips after weak Chinese data

Oil prices fell Friday after dismal inflation data from China raised fears that slowing economic growth at the world’s largest crude importer will hit demand growth this year.

By 03:25 ET, U.S. crude futures traded 0.5% lower at $70.91 a barrel, while the Brent contract dropped 0.5% to $75.59. 

These benchmarks look set to post their second straight weekly loss, with both on course for losses of around 1%.

Additionally, gold futures traded flat at $1,978.65/oz, while EUR/USD traded 0.1% lower at 1.0772.