Stocks open higher as Spanish bailout rumours start again

James Hughes, Chief Market Analyst at Alpari said: “Stocks are trading higher in Europe this morning after being weighed down by corporate earnings last week.

There is a lot of optimism in Europe that we could see Spain negotiate a bailout in the coming weeks. It is believed that Mariano Rajoy wanted to wait until after the regional elections in Spain, which took place yesterday, to make the request.

This also gave the Prime Minister time to announce Spain’s 2013 budget which included a number of measures that would have been insisted on by the countries creditors. This allows the Spanish government to avoid the embarrassment suffered by Greece who have had painful austerity imposed on them in order to receive the bailout.

Corporate earnings season continues this morning, with some more big companies expected to report. Before the opening bell in the US, Caterpillar are expected to announce an improved earnings per share from a year earlier of $2.24. Yahoo are due to report after the close in the US, with earnings of $0.26 per share expected.

Despite these improved figures, investors appear to be more concerned about the revenue figures they’re seeing. So far we’ve seen companies beating earnings expectations while revenue has been dropping. This is not a good indication of improving conditions which raises concerns over future quarters. If we see this trend continue we could see stocks continue to trade lower.”

Note: The content of this text comprises personal opinions and ideas and should not be taken or misunderstood as investment advice.