August 20, 2020
(Reuters) – European stocks were hit by a wave of selling in global equity markets on Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve signalled a long and difficult path of recovery for the world’s largest economy.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index <.STOXX> fell 1.2% by 0712 GMT, with miners <.SXPP> slumping 2.7% due to lower metal prices. [MET/L]
Other economically sensitive sectors such as banks <.SX7P> and automakers <.SXAP> and oil and gas <.SXEP> dropped between 1.6% and 1.9%.
Chilean miner Antofagasta’s shares <ANTO.L> fell 4.3% after it posted a 22.4% plunge in first-half core earnings on lower copper sales, but said it would pay an interim dividend.
The losses were broad-based, with Wall Street indexes retreating from all-time highs on Wednesday after the Fed’s minutes from its latest policy meeting showed policymakers concerned that an economic recovery would need stimulus measures for a far longer period.
Among notable gainers, Intercontinental Hotels Group <IHG.L> jumped 2.6% and France’s Accor <ACCP.PA> gained 2.0% after a French newspaper reported the hotel operators examined a merger.
(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
