European stocks touch record high amid China-powered rally

Investing.com -- European stock markets touched a fresh record high in mid-morning dealmaking on Friday, fueled by momentum from a China-led rally in Asia.

At 05:13 ET (09:13 GMT), the pan-European Stoxx 600 had added 0.3% to 526.92. It had earlier hit an intraday high of 526.51.

The DAX index in Germany traded 0.6% higher, the CAC 40 in France rose 0.3% and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. climbed 0.3%.

More Chinese stimulus ahead, reports say

China's central bank slashed interest rates and plugged more liquidity into the domestic banking system on Friday as Beijing continues a push to support the country's sputtering economy and reach a roughly 5% growth target this year.

The measures, which would come after a separate stimulus package was announced earlier this week, are expected to be announced prior to a week-long holiday set to begin on Oct. 1, Reuters reported. The news agency added that a meeting of the top leaders in China's Communist Party underlined worries over the health of the world's second-largest economy.

Citing sources, Reuters said the cities of Shanghai and Shenzhen are planning to remove key home purchase restrictions in the coming weeks. Chinese officials are also eyeing a special sovereign bond issue worth about 2 trillion yuan ($284.43 billion), Reuters said.

If the reports are correct, the package may help lift China's gross domestic product by around 0.4% over the course of next year, analysts at Capital Economics said in a note to clients.

Hopes for the increased stimulus powered stocks in China to their best week since 2008.

The measures have also bolstered luxury stocks in Europe, which derive much of their revenues from sales in China. Shares of high-end fashion groups like LVMH, Kering (EPA:PRTP ), Hermes, Hugo Boss, and Burberry all advanced, while automobile stocks gained as well.

Shares in Moncler received an additional surge after LVMH agreed to take an up to 22% stake in the investment vehicle that controls the Italian luxury outerwear maker.

French and Spanish inflation fall; focus turns to US data

Inflation in France and Spain both dropped by more than anticipated in September, adding to expectations that the European Central Bank will roll out another interest rate reduction next month.

In France, annual consumer price growth eased to 1.2% from 1.8% in August, below economists' forecasts of 1.6%. A corresponding figure in Spain also cooled to 1.5% from 2.3%, slower than projections of 1.9%.

Investors will likely be keeping close tabs on fresh personal spending and inflation data out of the US, which could provide a glimpse into the state of the world's largest economy as the Federal Reserve approaches more expected rate cuts later this year. The Fed slashed borrowing costs by an outsized 50 basis points last week.

Personal spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity, is tipped to have grown by 0.3% in August, slowing from 0.5% in the prior month.

Meanwhile, economists expect the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, which is used by Fed officials as a tracker of inflation, to rise by 0.2% on a monthly basis in August, matching July's pace. Year-on-year, the reading is seen decelerating to 2.3% from 2.5%.

(Reuters contributed reporting.)

Source: Investing.com