European carmakers lower despite higher sales

European equities markets were lower on Tuesday, with the FTSE Eurofirst 300 dropping 0.5 percent to 1,511.95.

The automobile manufacturing sector was lower, hurt by the possibility of interest rates going higher despite higher sales figures. Volkswagen dropped 0.2 percent to €84.38 even though sales of its Audi brand was reported to be selling well in China. Fiat was down 0.4 percent to €15 even though it said that higher sales had allowed it to achieve its full-year target on profits.

Oil companies were also lower as crude oil prices fell again. Norsk Hydro dropped. 1.2 percent to NKr186, while Repsol fell 1.8 percent to €24.95 and Statoil was 2.2 percent lower to NKr158.50. Meanwhile, energy companies were mixed on the session. Endsea was 1.6 percent higher to €37.35 after a court in Madrid lifted an injunction that was preventing Gas Natural from bidding for it. But Eon, which is also interested in Endsea, dropped 0.1 percent to €100.28, while Gas Natural was 0.8 percent lower to €29.60.

Brewers were higher on the session following broker upgrades. Inbev was 1.3 percent higher to €49.22 on a target share price upgrade from €53 to €60 from Sanford C Bernstein. Heineken added 2.8 percent to €38.87 when Morgan Stanley upped its recommendation from “equal weight” to “overweight”. Meanwhile, wine and spirits maker Pernod Ricard was up 2.2 percent to €146.40.

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