Key points from this week’s report:
Please refer to the attached PDF for the full report.
- Last week, the Stoxx 600 shifted to a downtrend after dropping 268 bps, breaching its 100-DMA due to a slump in semiconductor stocks. The European technology group gapped down 8.2%, in line with the SOXX. ASML (ASML.NL) and VAT Group (VACN.CH) were removed from our European Focus List. We are cautious about the overall market as indices face stiff resistance on the upside. We recommend investors reduce positions in names breaking below logical levels of support and increase exposure to defensive sectors within constructive markets.
- All sectors closed negatively last week, except for Energy, which remained flat. Technology lagged the most, while Retail, Basic Material, Capital Equipment, and Consumer Cyclical sectors declined by 2% to 2.5%. Despite posting weekly declines, the Staples, Financial, and Transportation sectors outperformed the broader market on a relative basis. Our rotation graph indicates broadly negative sectoral performance, with most sectors showing a deterioration in short-term momentum. Although Technology and Health Care are in the best quadrant, they exhibited negative short-term momentum. Meanwhile, Utilities, Retail, Cyclical, Financial, and Capital Equipment sectors showed positive short-term momentum.
- Sector Score Cards – Stocks of Interest (Top-rated names with best technical setups – refer to pages 9–20):
- Capital Equipment: Fugro (FUR.NL).
- Consumer Cyclical: Mips (MIPS.SE).
- Consumer Staple: Essity (ESSI.SE), Premier Food (PFD.GB, FL constituent).
- Financial: Caixabank (CABK.ES), Bankinter (BKT.ES), Credito Emiliano (CE.IT), Bure Equity (BURE.SE), Just Group (JUST.SE).
- Healthcare: H Lundbeck B (HLB.DK, EFL constituent), Vitrolife (VITR.SE).
- European Focus List Update: