Financial market research and analysis

The FTSE gained 1% at the open. UK mining stocks extended gains on the solid recovery in commodity prices.

Glencore(+3.37%), Rio Tinto (+2.36%), Anglo American (+2.72%)

The newly elected US President Donald Trump’s plans to spend $500 billion dollars in infrastructure gave a decent energy boost to the commodity markets, healthcare stocks and the financials.

Iron ore futures soared by 7.51%; copper rallied 4.39%, as aluminium gained 3.73% and zinc added 0.45%.

Inflation expectations in the US also soared after the Trump-win. Sovereign yields rose steeply, as the US ten-year paper yielded above 2% for the first time since January. Investors now see opportunity in buying bank stocks, as higher yields are believed to take some pressure off the weak revenue streams. 

Financials  (+1.65%) rose at the London open.

Barclays (+5.83%), Lloyds (+2.56%) HSBC (+1.53%) lead gains.

In the short-term, the sell-off in the US sovereign markets is expected to slowdown, as the S&P affirmed the country’s AA+/A-1 ratings following the presidential election; adding that the US outlook is stable. Yet, the Federal Reserve (Fed) hawks are leading the game. The probability of a Fed rate hike in December has surged to 82%, suggesting that the post-presidential sell-off in US sovereigns could be sustained by hawkish expectations regarding a steeper monetary policy normalisation in the US.

Finally, healthcare stocks outperformed. Shire (+2.72%) and GlaxoSmithKline (+1.00%) added 10 points to the FTSE 100 in early London trading.

AstraZeneca (-0.63%) diverged negatively from the sector average, as its third quarter revenue missed estimates, although the core EPS beat market expectations on a one-time tax benefit. The retreat in the share price could generate interesting opportunities for investors seeking to buy AZN shares given that Trump’s victory in the US is seen positive for healthcare stocks, as the new elect President is expected to leave drug prices in the US at current levels, instead of trying to bring them to affordable levels. The majority of investors (55.56%) remain buyers with a 12-month target price at 5562p; 33.33% prefer to remain on hold, while only 11.11% are positioned on the short-side of trade.