European markets end the day neutral, reflecting global caution; Vestas surges 8%

On Tuesday, European stock markets were divided as investors focused on the Ukraine-Russia crisis and economic statistics. The Stoxx 600 index in Europe concluded flat, with utilities up 2% and construction and material sectors down 1.8 percent. In terms of individual stock price movement, Vestas Wind Systems rose 8.6% after Credit Suisse upgraded the stock from “underperform” to “outperform” due to the company’s migration away from fossil fuels.
Electronics manufacturer ams Osram plummeted 8.4% to the bottom of the European blue chip index after announcing its new strategy at its capital markets day. In the face of rising inflation, markets are keeping a close eye on developments in Ukraine and the implications for central bank policies throughout the world.

Following reports of civilian killings in Ukraine, the US and Europe are mulling further punitive penalties against Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning that more dead are expected to be uncovered in towns regained from Russian forces. The European Commission suggested a ban on Russian coal on Tuesday.After photographs emerged on Sunday of civilian dead filling the streets in the recaptured town of Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, the US is poised to seek the United Nations General Assembly to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council, according to US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Following reports of civilian killings in Ukraine, the US and Europe are mulling further punitive penalties against Russia, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning that more dead are expected to be uncovered in towns regained from Russian forces. The European Commission suggested a ban on Russian coal on Tuesday.

After photographs emerged on Sunday of civilian dead filling the streets in the recaptured town of Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, the US is poised to seek the United Nations General Assembly to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council, according to US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield. “By late February, early March, there was an awful amount of uncertainty factored in, and our technical models were all screaming ‘buy’ in some of the strongest tactical buy signals we’d seen in a long time.”

According to Watling, a potential recession is still not imminent since economies and earnings are still increasing and monetary policy is still loose enough for investors to continue long on equities for the time being. The final composite euro zone PMI index showed the bloc’s economic activity fell to 54.9 in March from 55.5 in February, although it was still marginally ahead of consensus predictions.