Pub stock jumps 10% after UK reopening
London-listed shares climbed on Friday, with the FTSE 100 finishing the week 1% ahead of where it started. The end-of-week gains followed a lacklustre market reaction to Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s emergency budget, which included £30bn of support to boost the economy and job market. Measures announced included a stamp duty holiday, a scheme to drive restaurant demand and incentives for companies to bring furloughed workers back. From when the Chancellor announced the measures to the end of Thursday, the FTSE 100 fell by more than 2%, and is still down over 1% versus before the announcement.
On Friday, Barclays, hospitality firm Whitbread and home emergency company Homeserve led the FTSE, climbing 5.2%, 4.8% and 4.4% respectively. In the FTSE 250, which climbed 1.2% on the day — but fell 0.7% over the course of the week — pub and restaurant company Mitchells & Butlers was one of the top performers. The stock jumped 9.6%, after a relatively smooth start to the reopening of bars and restaurants across the UK.
- FTSE 100: +0.8% Friday, -19.2% YTD (+1% last week)
- FTSE 250: +1.2% Friday, -21.5% YTD (-0.7% last week)
What to watch
PepsiCo: Drink and snack giant PepsiCo’s share price is close to flat year-to-date, despite being directly impacted by the closure of bars, restaurants, sports venues and other purveyors of its products. Consumer demand for snacks while working from home has likely been one saving grace for PepsiCo. Last month, the company made headlines after announcing that it is rebranding its Aunt Jemima pancake mixture and syrup in response to criticism that the imagery perpetuates racial stereotypes. Currently, 10 Wall Street analysts rate the stock as a buy, two as an overweight and seven as a hold. Consensus expectations are for the $187bn market cap firm to report an earnings per share figure of $1.25 when it delivers its Q2 update on Monday.
Ocado: UK-based online grocery delivery firm Ocado has been thrust into the spotlight by the coronavirus pandemic as shoppers have turned to the service in droves during lockdown. The company’s share price is up more than 50% year-to-date, and 75% over the past 12 months. Ocado reports its latest set of quarterly earnings tomorrow, analysts will be certain to probe management on how sticky new customers acquired during the lockdown are looking now that the UK’s reopening is well underway. Currently, analysts favour a hold rating on the stock, with the median price target significantly below its current share price.
UK GDP: Tomorrow in the UK, the Office for National Statistics will report May GDP estimates, providing a month-over-month and year-over-year view of the hit the economy took in May. According to Trading Economics, expectations are for UK GDP to have grown 5% versus April, but it will still be down double digits versus the same time last year. In April, the UK’s GDP was more than 20% lower than its level in the same month in 2019.
Guidance black hole: Q2 earnings season begins
Second calendar quarter earnings season begins this week in the US, which is almost certain to contain some major upsets. Many companies have scrapped guidance for the rest of the year, so there are likely to be some significant divergences between investor expectations and reported results. Per Reuters, Wall Street analysts expect companies in the S&P 500 to report a 40% plus drop in Q2 earnings versus the same period last year. This follows the 12.8% earnings fall reported in Q1.
Some of the first companies on deck are America’s biggest banks, with near-zero interest rates, Federal Reserve stress testing, dividend payments and revenue from the federal Paycheck Protection Program — which banks have been implementing — all likely to be key focuses. The amount of cash banks are having to set aside for losses on outstanding loans they have made will also be a key part of Q2 earnings figures.
Crypto corner: Bitcoin could spike if Treasuries go negative – ex-Goldman Sachs employee
US benchmark Treasury yields could go below zero if they continue their downward trend, an event which would spark a rush into Bitcoin, the former head of hedge fund sales at Goldman Sachs has said.
Raoul Pal said yields on 10-year Treasuries were still “heading to sub-zero” amid the huge stimulus packages announced to combat coronavirus.
There is already more than $17bn of negative-yielding US Treasuries in the market and the 10-year yield currently sits at just 0.63%. Such an event would lift Bitcoin as an alternative safe haven in a world where traditional currencies have lost much of their value. Bitcoin has rallied hard this year and is currently sitting at $9,228.
All data, figures & charts are valid as of 13/07/2020. All trading carries risk. Only risk capital you can afford to lose.
This is a marketing communication and should not be taken as investment advice, personal recommendation, or an offer of, or solicitation to buy or sell, any financial instruments. This material has been prepared without having regard to any particular investment objectives or financial situation, and has not been prepared in accordance with the legal and regulatory requirements to promote independent research. Any references to past performance of a financial instrument, index or a packaged investment product are not, and should not be taken as, a reliable indicator of future results. eToro makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared utilizing publicly-available information.
The post Daily Market News: Record US coronavirus cases reported as Q2 earnings season begins appeared first on LeapRate.
,
