May 02 ,2025
Synopsis
European indices are set to open higher as most continental Europe indices re-open today after yesterday's bank holiday. Asian equities gaining Friday as markets react to latest US-China trade developments. Hong Kong and Taiwan outperforming, Japan and Australia seeing milder gains while Korea little changed.
Big trade news overnight was China Commerce Ministry revealing Beijing evaluating US offer on negotiations.
US equities finished higher in Thursday trading, though ended near session lows after coming off in the last minutes of trading. S&P nevertheless logged its eighth consecutive gain
AMZN reported after the US close yesterday with Q2 operating profit guidance softer-than-expected with group flagging material impact from trade and tariff policies, FX volatility and recessionary concerns.
Among central banks updates: ECB publishing its latest Economic Bulletin at 10:00CET.
Macroeconomic releases due today include: Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland Apr manufacturing PMI and final reads for Eurozone, France, Germany, UK, Italy Mar unemployment rate. Eurozone Apr preliminary CPI, Mar unemployment rate
In corporate news: ING Groep (INGA.NA) reports Q1 net income €1.46B vs consensus €1.41B. Standard Chartered reports Q1 underlying EPS $0.63 vs consensus $0.54 (STAN.LN).
Politics/Macro/World News
Top company news
Earnings/updates
INGA.NA (ING Groep) -- reports Q1 net income €1.46B vs consensus €1.41B; announces €2B buyback and now expects CET1 ratio by end of FY25 of between 12.8-13.0%
STAN.LN (Standard Chartered) -- reports Q1 underlying EPS $0.63 vs consensus $0.54
M&A
EQNR.NO (Equinor) -- Brasil to divest its 60% interest in Peregrino field to Prio Tigris for $3.5B
COFB.BB (Cofinimmo) -- Aedifica proposes voluntary conditional exchange offer on all shares of Cofinimmo
EQNR.NO (Equinor) -- Follow-up: Equinor Brasil to divest its 60% interest in Peregrino field to Prio Tigris for $3.5B
STERV.FH (Stora Enso) -- completes acquisition of the Finnish sawmill company Junnikkala
SOP.FP (Sopra Steria Group) -- has completed its acquisition of Aurexia, a management consulting firm specialising in financial services.
Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, GE Healthcare evaluating bids for J&J-backed HistoSonics, which is seeking valuation of over $2.5B - FT
Healthcare
SAN.FP (Sanofi) -- FDA grants orphan drug designation to Sanofi for treatment of multiple myeloma
CYTK (Cytokinetics) -- announces new PDUFA date for Aficamten in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
GMAB.DC (Genmab) -- to submit sBLA to FDA for epcoritamab plus R2 in patients with R/R FL in H1
INDV.LN (Indivior) -- SEC filing: 10-Q
INDV.LN (Indivior) -- provides update on civil opioid litigation & SUBOXONE Film lawsuits - 10-Q
Other
SSPG.LN (SSP Group) -- Activist fund Irenic Capital said to have taken ~2% stake in SSP Group -- FT
MC.FP (LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) -- reportedly to eliminate 10% of workforce in its wine and spirits subsidiary, aiming for 2019 headcount level in coming years - Le Lettre
INGA.NA (ING Groep) -- ING completes share buyback and announces new program for €2.0B
BA.LN (BAE Systems) -- awarded $172.3M US Navy contract modification
BA.LN (BAE Systems) -- awarded $73.4M US Navy contract
France Apr new passenger car registration (5.6%) y/y to 138,694 vehicles -- PFA
Key rating changes
Upgrades
BRG.NO (Borregaard) -- to buy from hold at Handelsbanken
COFB.BB (Cofinimmo) -- to neutral from underperform at BNP Paribas Exane
PNDX.B.SS (Pandox) -- to buy from hold at DnB Markets
SOLB.BB (Solvay) -- Solvay transferred neutral at BNP Paribas Exane; prior rating was underperform
SPX.LN (Spirax Group) -- to buy from hold at Peel Hunt
TLX.GR (Talanx) -- to overweight from equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
Downgrades
BRG.NO (Borregaard) -- to hold from buy at Berenberg
Other Actions
DSV.DC (DSV A/S) -- reinstated buy at Goldman Sachs
DSV.DC (DSV A/S) -- resumed overweight at Morgan Stanley
Data
Nikkei +1.09% to 36850.70
Hang Seng +1.53% to 22458.48
Shanghai Composite +0.00% to 3279.03
S&P futures +41.3 vs prior close of 5623.3
€-$ +0.0018 or +0.16% to 1.1310
$-¥ (0.19) or (0.13%) to 145.21
€-¥ +0.10 or +0.06% to 164.27
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