European shares head for biggest weekly losses in two months

U.S. stocks ended Thursday sharply lower as investor sentiment cratered in the face of concerns that the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike this week would not be enough to tame surging inflation. Earnings also added to the downbeat mood in Europe.

European stocks fell on Friday, heading for their worst week in two months following a carnage on Wall Street as investors feared that bigger interest rate hikes would be needed to tame decades-high inflation.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index declined 0.6% by 0709 GMT, with travel & leisure and technology stocks falling the most. Oil & gas stocks were the sole gainers as crude prices traded above $110 a barrel. U.S. stocks ended Thursday sharply lower as investor sentiment cratered in the face of concerns that the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike this week would not be enough to tame surging inflation.

Earnings also added to the downbeat mood in Europe. Adidas dropped 4% as it lowered expectations for 2022 sales as renewed COVID-related lockdowns in Greater China continue to hit the German sportswear company.

ING Groep NV, the largest Dutch bank, fell 2.2% as it reported a worse-than-expected quarterly net income, including a surge in provisions for bad loans due to its exposure in Russia and Ukraine. Danish medical device maker Ambu tumbled 13.9% after providing a downbeat forecast for full-year earnings due to supply-chain issues and hospital labor shortages.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)