European markets open higher after US debt ceiling deal
On Monday, European markets opened higher following the agreement between US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to raise the US debt ceiling, thus preventing a default. They now aim to convince Congress to approve the implementation of the deal in the coming week.
European Markets Respond Positively to US Debt Ceiling Development Following a Choppy Week
European stock markets, including Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC40, were up 0.5% in pre-trade following the US debt ceiling development. All sectors saw marginal gains, with autos and banks leading. This follows a turbulent week where the Stoxx 600 index slumped to an 8-week low before recovering slightly on Friday. After three negative sessions, the pan-European index closed 1.2% higher on May 26th.
All sectors closed in positive territory on Friday, with tech stocks leading the way thanks to Nvidia’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) operational outlook.
UK markets were closed for a bank holiday on Monday, while US markets remained closed for Memorial Day.
- Crypto market up due to imminent debt ceiling vote
- Bybit approved to operate in Kazakhstan
- Turkish Lira drops as President Erdogan stays in power
Takeaways from Debt Ceiling Development
On Friday, US Treasury yields fell as investors awaited updates on debt ceiling negotiations and the release of critical inflation data. Following successful negotiations between US political leaders to raise the debt ceiling, Republican and Democratic lawmakers must now vote to support the new bill. Biden and McCarthy’s proposed measure must secure enough bipartisan Congress support before the June 5th deadline to avoid a potential first-ever government default.
Reports suggest that the US House of Representatives could vote by Wednesday, with the upper chamber following suit later this week. Biden expressed relief at the agreeable conclusion between himself and McCarthy, and urged both parties in the legislature to come together to pass the bill swiftly.
A Lot at Stake with Impending US Debt Ceiling Bill Voting Session
The debt-ceiling agreement proposes spending cuts but could alienate some lawmakers as they inspect the bill’s inherent concessions. However, Biden remains confident that the bill would secure the necessary votes to see implementation. McCarthy also expressed optimism at the outcome of the voting process, saying, “[ultimately] people can look together to be able to pass this”.
A US debt default could freeze the already compromised financial markets and trigger a global fiscal crisis, leading to sky-high unemployment and borrowing rates, and a stock-market plunge. Furthermore, analysts say a default could also impact the Treasury debt market and erode household wealth.
