Alcohol stocks drop after US surgeon general calls for cancer warnings

(Reuters) -Shares of European and American spirits makers and brewers fell on Friday after the U.S. surgeon general called for cancer warnings on the labels of alcoholic drinks.

The consumption of alcoholic drinks increases the risk of developing breast, colon, liver and other cancers, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in an advisory.

"For certain cancers, like breast, mouth, and throat cancers, evidence shows that the risk of developing cancer may start to increase around one or fewer drinks per day," according to the advisory.

Shares of Jack Daniel's parent Brown-Forman slipped nearly 3% to $37.10 in early U.S. trading hours, hitting their lowest since April 2017, while Coors Light beer maker Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP ) fell 4%.

Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ ), the maker of Corona beer, was down 1.3% while Boston Beer (NYSE:SAM ) slumped nearly 6%, its biggest drop since last February.

In Europe, shares in the world's top spirits maker Diageo (LON:DGE ) were down some 3% to their lowest since mid-December at 1352 GMT, after falling as much as 4.1% earlier.



French spirits maker Pernod Ricard (EPA:PERP ), which owns Martell cognac, Mumm champagne and Absolut vodka, was down around 3.2%, while its peer Remy and Italian spirits group Campari (LON:0ROY ) were both down around 3.8%.

Brewers were also hit, with Budweiser maker Anheuser-Busch InBev (EBR:ABI ) down around 2%, and Heineken (AS:HEIN ) and Carlsberg (CSE:CARLb ) down between 1% and 1.5%.

Source: Investing.com