With the drastic plunge in evaluations last month, several exchange-traded fund investors have turned to American banks.
Touching the lowest levels on record, the Stoxx Europe 600 Banks index struck below its 1992 nadir, losing 3% as German Chancellor Angela Merkel went for a month-long partial lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus. Soon after, France imposed a nationwide shutdown.
Adding to rising Covid-19 cases and tougher lockdowns, both U.S. and European stocks tumble over 5% this week and denial of American lawmakers to come up with economic aid package prior to Nov 3. Europe’s third-largest economy recorded over 500 new deaths in the last 24 hours.
According to the index S&P Financial Select Sector, many U.S. banks EFTs have progressed with net inflows each month since March as investors opt for sector trading at 1.2 times book value and 16.2 times trailing earnings.
The chief impact on better capitalization of U.S. banks turns out to be interest rate spreads. Ever since 2014, the Eurozone banks have shown a southward growth, limiting the spread banks charge between the deposit rates and lending.
Notably, the U.S. federal fund rates shown improvement and were up 2% in 2019, even though they fell to a virtual zero later due to the pandemic.
