© Reuters European stocks are down and poised for their worst annual performance since 2018
European shares fell at the start of the final trading sessions of 2022, led by technology stocks, with markets in the UK and Germany preparing to close out of business early Friday.
European equities are heading for their worst annual performance since 2018 in light of the fallout from the war in Ukraine and central banks around the world tightening monetary policy due to high inflation.
Overall, European equities have outperformed their US counterparts this year, buoyed by their fourth-quarter rally on hopes that slowing inflation will trickle down central banks.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 0.42% to 428 points, taking the current year’s losses to more than 12%, in its worst annual performance since 2018.
The British “FTSE 100” index fell by 0.37% to 7,485 points, as did the German “DAX” by 0.6% to 13,987 points and the French “CAC” by 0.52% to 6,539 points.
