Feb 02 ,2026
Synopsis
European equity markets set to open broadly lower, following last week's gains (Stoxx Europe 600 +0.44%). Asian equities weaker Monday. Momentum to the downside with tech stocks among steepest decliners. Korea exchange triggered trading halt with Kospi down 5%. Hang Seng leading China market declines. Japan turning lower following initial rally. S&P 500 futures down 1%. JGB curve bear steepening while Treasuries unchanged. Yen lower after PM Takaichi stopped short of voicing explicit support for weaker currency. Gold and silver have swung sharply lower following earlier rebound, with gold now down (5.9%) and silver down (7.4%). Copper slides nearly (6%). Dollar strongest against Korean won. Crude tracking broader commodity sell-off with WTI Crude (Mar 26) (5.2%) to $61.85. Bitcoin plunge continues, down to lowest since Nov-2024.
China official PMIs showed manufacturing unexpectedly fell back into contraction last month. Sub-indexes showed output slowed, new orders went backward, and new export order declines quickened. Non-manufacturing activity also swung to contraction, marking worst result since Dec-2022 with construction a notable drag. Contrasted with RatingDog PMI, which showed manufacturing activity unexpectedly improved as rising workloads prompted staffing hires. However, business confidence fell amid input cost pressures.
European macro data releases out today include Germany Dec retail sales, Switzerland. Dec retail sales, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland Jan manufacturing PMI and final reads for Eurozone, France, Germany, UK, Austria Jan unemployment rate, UK Jan Nationwide House Price Index. Netherlands Dec Retail Sales +3.0% y/y vs consensus +3.5% and prior revised +4.3% from 3.9%. France Jan new passenger car registration (2.1%) y/y (comparable working days) to 107,157 vehicles -- PFA. Italy, Spain Jan new car registrations also due to be released.
This week's agenda sees BOE and ECB interest rate decisions, Jan manufacturing/services PMIs from around the region as well as earnings/updates from ArcelorMittal (MT.NA), BBVA (BBVA.SM), Banco Santander (SAN.SM), Equinor (EQNR.NO), GSK (GSK.LN), Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.IM), Maersk (MAERSK.B.DC), Novartis (NOVN.SW), Shell (SHEL.LN), Societe Generale (GLE.FP), UBS Group (UBSG.SW) and Vodafone Group (VOD.LN).
In central banks today, BOE's Breeden speech at 11:45GMT at the City & Financial Annual Payments Regulation and Innovation Summit and Jackson speech at 13:30 at event hosted by Assn of Foreign Banks (AFB). Chancellor Merz opens the Niedax Technology Campus and is expected to be a guest at New Year's reception of Deutsche Börse. Informal meeting of EU competition ministers (through Tue). In London, there's meetings of EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee as well as the EU-UK Partnership Council, also EU's Šefčovič meets bilaterally with his UK counterparts Thomas-Symonds and Kyle, and together with EU's Dombrovskis, jointly meets with them and Chancellor Reeves. EU's Dombrovskis also meets with BOE's Bailey. Annual reception of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Rhineland-Palatinate, includes former EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as a guest.
Politics/Macro/World News
Italy Outlook Revised To Positive On Fiscal And External Resilience; 'BBB+/A-2' Ratings Affirmed -- S&P
UK Treasury offers up to £100,000 exit packages to cut hundreds of jobs -- FT
Bank of England expected to hold rates this week -- FT, Bloomberg
Lord Mandelson resigns from Labour Party over Epstein links -- BBC
Keir Starmer wants to rejoin EU rearmament scheme despite collapsed talks -- Times
Starmer's Labour Heads Into Crunch UK Elections Short of Cash -- Bloomberg
UK unemployment 'will reach a five-year high this year' -- Times , citing EY Item Club
OPEC+ maintains production pause as US eyes negotiations with Iran
Trump jokes about suing new Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh if he doesn't slash rates -- media report
Top company news
Earnings/updates
AIR.FP (Airbus SE) -- reportedly has not yet set its aircraft delivery target for 2026 - Bloomberg
BAER.SW (Julius Baer Group) --
reports FY Adj. Net Income CHF 878M vs consensus CHF803.8M; AUM CHF521B vs consensus CHF522.40B; Net New Money CHF 14.4B vs consensus CHF14.65B
now well positioned to enter its strategic cycle 2026-2028 and is firmly on track to deliver against its medium-term targets
VOLV.B.SS (Volvo) -- completes previously announced acquisition of Swecon
SF.SS (Stillfront Group) -- reports prelim FY adj EBITDAC SEK1.58B vs FactSet SEK1.98B [6 est, SEK1.47-2.13B]; will record non-cash impairment of SEK 2.258B
KBCA.BB (KBC Ancora) -- reports H1 net income €74.4M vs year-ago €73.9M
ZUGER.SW (Zuger Kantonalbank) -- reports FY net income CHF131.1M, +7% vs year-ago CHF122.4M, dividend to increase by 10 francs to CHF230 per share
SCHP.FP (Seche Environnement) -- reports prelim adj EBITDA ~€220M vs guidance "between €250M and €260M" and FactSet €253.2M [4 est, €252.1-254.7M]; guides FY26
ARCH.NO (Archer) -- reports preliminary FY IFRS EBITDA $166.5M; guides 2026
Also reporting today
Earnings:
DACHs: MVV Energie (MVV1.GR)
Nordics: AcadeMedia (ACAD.SS)
Southern Europe: Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.IM)
Trading Update:
France: Wavestone (WAVE.FP)
Southern Europe: Galp Energia (GALP.PL)
UK: Kazatomprom (KAP.LN)
CMD/Events: GEA Group (G1A.GR) pre-close call
M&A
NCC.B.SS (NCC) -- in advanced talks to sell industry business to consortium including CRH, Heidelberg Materials and Bouygues's Colas unit - Bloomberg
COHR (Coherent) -- Bystronic completes acquisition of Coherent's Tools for Materials Processing business unit; deal was announced on 31-Oct
GLEN.LN (Glencore) -- Rio Tinto and Glencore to extend deadline for merger talks - Bloomberg
CAP.FP (Capgemini) -- to launch divestiture of Government Solutions
VOLV.B.SS (Volvo) -- completes previously announced acquisition of Swecon
METSO.FH (Metso Corp.) -- Metso acquires MRA Automation; terms undisclosed
CVC.NA (CVC Capital Partners) -- Bain Capital set to acquire FineToday in deal estimated at ¥200B ($1.08B) - Nikkei
NAE.FP (Esso) -- North Atlantic France provides update on tender offer for North Atlantic Energies shares
NFL's Seattle Seahawks rumored to go up for sale after Superbowl LX - ESPN
Healthcare
SAN.FP (Sanofi) -- Sanofi's Venglustat meets all primary endpoints in LEAP2MONO Phase 3 study for patients with type 3 Gaucher disease
GALD.SW (Galderma Group) -- Galderma announces US FDA acceptance of RelabotulinumtoxinA biologics license application resubmission
MOLN.SW (Molecular Partners) -- Announces Presentation of First Imaging and Dosimetry Data of DLL3-Targeting Radiotherapy MP0712 in Patients at TWC 2026
PHARM.NA (Pharming Group) -- FDA issues CRL to Pharming Group's sNDA for Joenja (leniolisib) as a treatment for children aged 4-11 years with activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase delta syndrome
Other
AKRBP.NO (Aker BP) -- has started oil production from the Solveig Phase 2 development in the North Sea.
RILBA.DC (Ringkjøbing Landbobank) -- announces a new DKK500M (up to 600K shares) share buyback program
Estimated weekend box office revenues in US, Canada $83.3M, (3.3%) y/y - Box Office Mojo
Key rating changes
Upgrades
HO.FP (Thales) -- to buy from hold at Jefferies
CRST.LN (Crest Nicholson Holdings) -- to buy from add at Peel Hunt
HEXA.B.SS (Hexagon) -- to buy from hold at Pareto
BMAX.SS (Byggmax Group) -- to hold from sell at ABG Sundal Collier
ELISA.FH (Elisa) -- to hold from sell at Nordea
Downgrades
ARJO.B.SS (Arjo) -- to hold from buy at DNB Carnegie
AIR.FP (Airbus) -- to hold from buy at Jefferies
BA.LN (BAE Systems) -- to hold from buy at Jefferies
LIGHT.NA (Signify) -- to neutral from overweight at JPMorgan
ELISA.FH (Elisa) -- downgraded to equal weight from overweight at Barclays
AFX.GR (Carl Zeiss Meditec) -- to equal weight from overweight at Barclays
MAERSK.B.DC (Maersk) -- to hold from buy at ABG Sundal Collier
Other Actions
ATEA.NO (Atea) -- resumed hold at Danske Bank
Data
Nikkei (1.25%) to 52655.18
Hang Seng (3.03%) to 26557.20
Shanghai Composite (2.11%) to 4031.07
S&P futures (92.8) vs prior close of 6965.8
€-$ (0.0001) or (0.01%) to 1.1852
$-¥ (0.31) or (0.20%) to 154.63
€-¥ (0.37) or (0.20%) to 183.26
This information and data is provided for general informational purposes only. The Bank of New York Mellon and our information suppliers do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, timeliness or completeness of this information or data. We provide no advice nor recommendation or endorsement with respect to any company or securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update or amend this information or data. Nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities.
Please refer to "Terms Of Use".
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS:
NOT FDIC, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY INSURED
MAY LOSE VALUE
NO BANK, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY GUARANTEE