Jaded investors shrug off North Korean heat, focus on Europe’s economy
London — Jitters over a fresh exchange of barbs between North Korea and the US eased in Europe on Friday as strong economic data supported European stocks, and investors’ focus turned to a planned speech by Britain’s prime minister on Brexit. Europe’s main stock index recovered from early losses following a sell-off in Asian stocks and a rush to safe-haven currencies after North Korea said it might test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean. Risk aversion drove investors into the Swiss franc and the yen, with the Swiss currency up 0.3% to Sf0.9681/$, while the yen firmed 0.5%. Safe-haven gold rose 0.4%. European benchmarks swung into positive territory, though the mining sector still showed signs of strain as metals prices were battered by the heightened geopolitical risk in Asia. US stock futures indicated a 0.2% fall for the S&P 500, though markets were showing growing signs of fatigue over the belligerent US-North Korea rhetoric. "North Korea poses such a binary risk that it’s ver...
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