There’s Plenty Worrying Investors as Europe’s Stocks Hit Records
- Investors say missed summer travel, elections among top risks
- European stocks have rallied in 2021 on recovery optimism
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European equities are at records, vaccination rates are picking up and central banks are funneling trillions of dollars into the economy. But there is still plenty that could go wrong, with a resurgent coronavirus outbreak, another missed summer holiday season and elections keeping investors up at night.
While the pandemic turned 2020 into a stock market roller-coaster, 2021 has begun on a more optimistic note. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index has jumped 9.6% this year and hit an all-time high in April, the VStoxx Index of euro-area volatility has calmed down close to pre-pandemic levels and, so far, there have been few major earnings season mishaps.