Bearish Sentiment Squeezes Global Equities, Markets Close in Red
With bears on the rampage, the global equities delivered a broadly negative performance last week as investors navigated a sharp deterioration in U.S.- Europe geopolitical relations.
The market temperature became tense after President Donald Trump announced plans for new 10% tariffs on eight European countries beginning Feb. 1 – potentially rising to 25% in June.
According to Lagos-based investment firm Anchoria Securities Limited, equity benchmarks in the US ended slightly lower as geopolitical headwinds intersected with already cooling sentiment after recent gains.
Stock market analysts said the Nasdaq declined by -0.04% week on week, as technology and growth-oriented tickers paused following earlier gains.
Reflecting the same downbeat sentiment, the S&P 500 also declined by -0.38% week on week, weighed down not only by mixed corporate earnings but also by the broader market reaction to the escalating tariff dispute.
In the UK, the FTSE 100 fell 0.79% underperforming as the index, heavily exposed to international trade, faced both global risk aversion and direct sensitivity to the proposed U.S. tariffs, which explicitly targeted the UK among other European economies.
The impact of the tariff shock was even more pronounced across Europe as Germany’s DE40 declined by -1.78% week on week, pressured by renewed downside in export-driven industrials following the announcement of U.S. tariffs tied to the Greenland dispute.
Similarly, France’s FR40 shed -1.62% week on week, reflecting both softer domestic demand indicators and elevated sensitivity to tariff rhetoric, particularly given France’s emergence as a key political counterpoint to Washington in the escalating dispute.
The broader Euro Stoxx 50 declined -1.54% week on week, mirroring widespread risk-off moves across the Eurozone as political uncertainty overshadowed otherwise improving industrial output and rising investor confidence earlier in the month.
Asian markets also reflected the global tone, with the week marked by stronger downside pressure in China. The FTSE China Index dropped -2.67% week on week, the weakest showing among major global indices.
China’s decline continues to be driven by persistent concerns over property sector fragility, weakening internal demand, and limited investor conviction in ongoing policy support. Zenith Bank Climbs as Investors Price in Acquisition Taste
