European stocks fell as technology declined and uncertainty persisted in the Middle East.
Broadcom Limited AVGO | 0.00 |
June 5 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Friday and ended the week lower, as uncertainty surrounding Middle East peace efforts kept investors on edge, while technology stocks stalled after a strong two-month rally.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.3 percent to 622.66 points, and lost 0.5 percent over the week.
Brent crude fell for the second consecutive session, but prices remained close to $93 a barrel. Hopes for diplomatic progress between the United States and Iran appeared limited after the exchange of strikes earlier in the week, while a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon remained uncertain as Hezbollah refused direct negotiations with Israel.
Rising energy costs have complicated inflation forecasts. Data released this week showed inflation accelerating in the eurozone during May, reinforcing market expectations that the European Central Bank will raise interest rates by 25 basis points next week.
Analysts at Deutsche Bank, led by Mark Wall, said in a note, "The (interest rate) increase is in line with the data."
They added, "But reaching an agreement between the United States and Iran will not prevent that. And after three months of rising energy prices, the European Central Bank believes that some indirect inflation is inevitable."
Sentiment was negatively impacted by stronger-than-expected US jobs data, which showed a significantly higher-than-anticipated increase in jobs in May. This data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve (the US central bank) will raise interest rates later in the year, further pressuring global stocks.
Technology stocks led the declines, falling 2.9 percent after rising nearly 30 percent over the past two months.
This decline followed a broader slowdown in technology stocks globally this week, after disappointing results were announced by US chipmaker Broadcom.
Shares in European chipmakers declined, with Infineon plunging 9.1 percent and Extron 4.8 percent. AI equipment manufacturers such as Legrand and Schneider Electric also saw their shares fall, dropping 2.3 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively.
