Feb 05 ,2025
Synopsis
European equity markets are set for a negative open whilst Asia markets trade mixed Wednesday. Mainland China markets reopening post an extended LNY break but are now tilting lower after a bright start. Hong Kong giving up some of its recent gains. Japan and Australia both higher, strong gains in Taiwan and South Korea also notably higher. US futures lower.
Tariff uncertainties remain the over-riding theme. Markets have seen some reprieve from recent deals with Mexico and Canada after leaders spoke with Trump. EU preparing for tariffs but Trump decision to delay broad tariffs on Mexico and Canada has offered encouragement that bloc will be able to negotiate a deal.
In UK, there's weekly PMQs at 12noon GMT, whilst committee topics include nitrogen at 10:00, FCA and PRA's secondary competitiveness and growth at 10:15, environmental sustainability and housing growth at 14:30 and work of the Dept for Energy Security and Net Zero at 15:00. Other events on Wed, Global Economic Outlook Conf and UK Jan new car registrations - SMMT, who also publish new car registrations and LCV registrations outlook. Also expect Germany Jan new car registrations.
In central banks, Central Bank of Iceland interest rate decision at 9:30CET, along with updated economic forecast, with some analysts expecting as much as a 50bps cut in the benchmark rate to 8.0%. Poland central bank expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.75% when announces decision at 15:00CET. Bundesbank's Balz speech at 13:40CET at symposium hosted by the bank. ECB's Lane fireside chat and Q&A at 15:00CET at event organised by PIIE "The euro area in 2025". On the political front, EU's Albuquerque speech at the Conf 'Shaping the Future of EU Capital Markets' organised by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).
Economic data due include Italy, Spain and Sweden Jan services PMI as well as final reads for Eurozone, France, Germany and UK. Also out are France Dec industrial production, Italy Dec retail sales and Eurozone Dec PPI.
A busy morning for earnings sees Credit Agricole (ACA.FP) reporting Q4 underlying net income €1.73B vs StreetAccount €1.37B whilst dormakaba Holding (DOKA.SW) expects to report a significant increase in H1 reported operating profit and net profit y/y. Out of the Nordics, Novo Nordisk (NOVO.B.DC) reported Q4 EPS DKK6.34 vs consensus DKK5.96 whilst hiking the total dividend by 21% and guiding FY25. Equinor (EQNR.NO) reported Q4 adjusted net income $1.73B vs consensus $2.06B, whilst Husqvarna (HUSQ.B.SS) is out with Q4 EPS (SEK1.15) vs FactSet (SEK1.38) [6 est, (SEK2.08)-(1.09)]. Svenska Handelsbanken (SHB.A.SS) reported Q4 EPS SEK3.46 vs FactSet SEK3.12 [14 est, SEK2.94-3.39] and H. Lundbeck (HLUN.B.DC) released Q4 EPS DKK1.36 ex-items vs StreetAccount DKK0.96 and raised dividend +36% y/y whilst Pandora (PNDORA.DC) issued Q4 EPS DKK35.5 vs consensus DKK35.70 and announced a new share buyback. Other Nordic companies out with earnings include Vestas Wind Systems (VWS.DC), Demant (DEMANT.DC), Alfa Laval (ALFA.SS), Wartsila (WRT1V.FH), Loomis (LOOMIS.SS), DNB Bank (DNB.NO). In Southern Europe, Banco Santander (SAN.SM) reported Q4 net income attributable €3.27B ex-items vs consensus €2.89B.
Politics/Macro/World News
Top company news
Earnings/updates
Benelux:
MELE.BB (Melexis) -- reports Q4 EPS €0.45 vs FactSet €0.73 [4 est, €0.69-0.79]
France:
ACA.FP (Credit Agricole) -- reports Q4 underlying net income €1.73B vs StreetAccount €1.37B; hikes divi by 5%
DACHs:
DOKA.SW (dormakaba Holding) -- expects to report a significant increase in H1 reported operating profit and net profit y/y
VATN.SW (Valiant Holding) -- reports FY net income CHF150.4M vs FactSet CHF146.5M [3 est, CHF145.1-148.3M]
DYVOX.GR (Dynavox Group) -- reports Q4 EPS €0.51 vs year-ago €0.43
Nordics:
NOVO.B.DC (Novo Nordisk) -- reports Q4 EPS DKK6.34 vs consensus DKK5.96; hikes total div by 21% and guides FY25
EQNR.NO (Equinor) -- reports Q4 adjusted net income $1.73B vs consensus $2.06B
PNDORA.DC (Pandora) -- reports Q4 EPS DKK35.5 vs consensus DKK35.70, raises dividend +11% y/y, announces new share buyback, guides 2025
HUSQ.B.SS (Husqvarna) -- reports Q4 EPS (SEK1.15) vs FactSet (SEK1.38) [6 est, (SEK2.08)-(1.09)]
SHB.A.SS (Svenska Handelsbanken) -- reports Q4 EPS SEK3.46 vs FactSet SEK3.12 [14 est, SEK2.94-3.39]
DEMANT.DC (Demant) -- reports FY net income from continuing operations DKK2.89B vs FactSet DKK2.68B
HLUN.B.DC (H. Lundbeck) -- reports Q4 EPS DKK1.36 ex-items vs StreetAccount DKK0.96, raises dividend +36% y/y, guides 2025
ALMB.DC (Alm. Brand) -- reports Q4 EPS DKK0.1 vs FactSet DKK0.19 [5 est, DKK0.16-0.23]; previously released FY revenue and 2025 guidance
WRT1V.FH (Wartsila) -- reports Q4 EPS €0.27 vs consensus €0.23
ALFA.SS (Alfa Laval) -- reports Q4 EPS SEK4.96 vs StreetAccount SEK5.55; hikes divi by 13% and guides Q1
VWS.DC (Vestas Wind Systems) -- reports Q4 net income €598M vs FactSet €474.5M [14 est, €429-532M]
DNB.NO (DNB Bank) -- reports Q4 net income attributable NOK12.18B vs consensus NOK9.51B
LOOMIS.SS (Loomis) -- reports Q4 EPS SEK5.88 vs FactSet SEK7.49 [4 est, SEK6.94-7.99]
ALIF.B.SS (AddLife) -- reports Q4 EPS SEK0.76 vs FactSet SEK1.38 [2 est, SEK1.25-1.50]
MTRS.SS (Munters Group) -- reports Q4 EPS SEK0.89 vs FactSet SEK1.58 [4 est, SEK1.43-1.79]
CTEK.SS (CTEK) -- reports Q4 EPS (SEK0.68) including items and unclear if comparable to FactSet SEK0.10 [2 est, SEK0.01-0.20]
NORION.SS (Norion Bank) -- reports Q4 EPS SEK1.46 vs FactSet SEK1.32 [3 est, SEK1.29-1.35]; no divi and announces SEK500M buyback
RILBA.DC (Ringkjøbing Landbobank) -- reports Q4 net income DKK531M vs FactSet DKK554M [3 est, DKK553-555M]
SF.SS (Stillfront Group) -- reports Q4 EPS (SEK14.38) vs FactSet SEK0.39 [4 est, SEK0.35-0.44]
ALMA.FH (Alma Media) -- updates its Long-Term Financial Targets; dividend policy remains intact
NOD.NO (Nordic Semiconductor) -- reports Q4 net income ($3.9M) vs FactSet ($4.4M) [7 est, ($7.4)-(2.0M)]
KESKOB.FH (Kesko) -- reports Q4 EPS €0.31 vs FactSet €0.30 [7 est, €0.29-0.31]
EMBLA.DC (Embla Medical hf) -- reports Q4 net income $19M vs FactSet $21.2M [5 est, $19.2-22M]
Southern Europe:
SAN.SM (Banco Santander) -- reports Q4 net income attributable €3.27B ex-items vs consensus €2.89B
M&A
ALFA.SS (Alfa Laval) -- to acquire NRG Marine to advance innovative anti-fouling technology; price not disclosed
BSLN.SW Basilea Pharmaceutica reports sales of Cresemba in Japan trigger the first sales milestone payment from Asahi Kasei Pharma
ALESK.FP (Esker) -- announces results of tender offer initiated by Boréal Bidco
ALTA.FP (Altarea) -- Paris Economic Activities Court rules Altarea did not proceed with any wrongful resolution regarding Primonial's claims for compensation
ALHRG.FP (HERIGE) -- Follow-up: HERIGE reports Q4 revenue €99.2M, (8%) vs year-ago €108.4M; announces disposal of VM Guadeloupe
541988.IN (Aavas Financiers) -- receives RBI approval for Aquilo House transaction
Honda, Nissan may terminate merger talks - Asahi Shimbun
Nissan Motor to withdraw MoU for business integration with Honda - Nikkei
Healthcare
ROG.SW (Roche Holding) -- Genentech's Susvimo approved by FDA for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME)
VLA.FP (Valneva) -- Receives Marketing Authorization in the UK for the World's First Chikungunya Vaccine, IXCHIQ
Other
FCT.IM (Fincantieri) -- secures firm order for construction of four new cruise ships for Norwegian Cruise Line brand
UPM.FH (UPM) -- updates its Disclosure Policy and changes its method of issuing profit guidance and outlook
EQNR.NO (Equinor) -- First tranche of Equinor's buyback program will see $396M of shares purchased in market
SGO.FP (Compagnie de Saint-Gobain) -- to invest €40M to expand, decarbonize insulation plant in Spain
ENR.GR (Siemens Energy) -- Dan Loeb's Third Point acquired stake in Siemens Energy late in Q3 - Reuters, citing investor letter
HUSQ.B.SS (Husqvarna) -- announces strategic partnership with Flex, Ltd, divests South Carolina manufacturing operations; expects ~SEK350M 5 year cost savings
SPIE.FP (SPIE) -- completes 1.3M share buyback program
ELI.BB (Elia Group SA/NV) -- Elia Group temporarily postponing signing of HVDC contracts for Princess Elisabeth Island in order to discuss several options with authorities
New Gravity eSUV boosts Lucid Jan sales and Volvo partners on autonomous trucks in thematic intraday developments (4-Feb)
Pharmaceutical supply chain consortium enters into 10-year PPA for renewable energy
Key rating changes
Upgrades
SDR.LN (Schroders) -- outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital Markets
KINV.B.SS (Kinnevik) -- buy from hold at Carnegie Securities
BONAV.B.SS (Bonava) -- buy from hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
BGN.IM (Banca Generali) -- buy from hold at Deutsche Bank
Morgan Stanley upgrades CFR.SJ, CFR.SW
Downgrades
RACE.IM (Ferrari) -- equal weight from overweight at Barclays
SPX.LN (Spirax Group) -- hold from buy at HSBC
G.IM (Assicurazioni Generali) -- neutral from buy at Goldman Sachs
MC.FP (LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) -- to hold from buy at Stifel
MKS.LN (Marks & Spencer Group) -- hold from buy at Jefferies
GSF.NO (Grieg Seafood) -- hold from buy at ABG Sundal Collier
RPI.LN (Raspberry Pi Holdings) -- hold from buy at Jefferies
KOG.NO (Kongsberg Gruppen) -- hold from buy at Carnegie Securities
ANORA.FH (Anora Group) -- hold from buy at SEB
TOBII.SS (Tobii) -- sell from hold at Handelsbanken
Initiations
ENVIP.NO (Envipco Holding) -- buy at Sparebank 1 Markets
ORSTED.DC (Ørsted) -- buy at Sparebank 1 Markets
Other Actions
VOD.LN (Vodafone Group) -- resumed neutral at JPMorgan; prior rating was neutral
Data
Nikkei +0.09% to 38831.48
Hang Seng (1.07%) to 20568.00
Shanghai Composite (0.65%) to 3229.54
S&P futures (32.5) vs prior close of 6063.0
€-$ +0.0005 or +0.05% to 1.0385
$-¥ (1.15) or (0.75%) to 153.19
€-¥ (1.10) or (0.69%) to 159.09
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