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Europe markets close 2.3% lower, bank stocks slide the most in a year after HSBC rescues SVB UK

This is CNBC's live blog covering European markets.

European markets closed sharply lower Monday as the fallout from the Silicon Valley Bank collapse sent banks to their worst day in more than a year.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed down 2.34%.

Bank fell 5.65%, their worst day since March 4, 2022 according to Eikon data, when they fell 6.66% on warnings their asset quality would be impacted by the Ukraine war.

European markets


The slide in stocks comes despite news that HSBC had agreed to buy the British arm of the troubled U.S. tech startup-focused lender for £1. Customer deposits will be protected as part of the deal.

Shares of HSBC fell 3.95%, while Commerzbank slid around 12% and Credit Suisse was down 9.4%.

On Friday, Silicon Valley Bank was taken over by regulators after massive withdrawals a day earlier created a bank run. All SVB depositors will have access to their money starting Monday, according to a joint statement from the Treasury Department, Federal Reserve and the FDIC.

Elsewhere Sunday, U.S. regulators shut down New York-based Signature Bank, a big lender in the crypto industry, in a bid to prevent the spreading banking crisis.

Asia-Pacific markets closed mixed on Monday as investors reacted to the latest move by U.S. regulators to stem further systemic risk.

U.S. stocks initially fell but moved higher as investors bet the Federal Reserve may pause rate hikes.

Silicon Valley Bank meltdown: Here's how it happened in real time
VIDEO3:1003:10
Silicon Valley Bank meltdown: Here's how it happened in real time

European stocks close lower

Europe's Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed down 2.34%, hitting its lowest level since early January, amid the fallout from Silicon Valley Bank's collapse.

Germany's DAX fell 3%, France's CAC 40 was down 2.9%, while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 posted a 2.6% decline.

Banking stocks suffered their worst session since March 2022, falling 5.65%, with the steepest losses seen at Commerzbank, Banco Sabadell, Credit Suisse and UniCredit.

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Stoxx 600 index.

— Jenni Reid

Stocks on the move: Balder up 4.8%, Wise down 12%

Swedish real estate company Fastighets AB Balder topped European stocks in late afternoon trade, up 4.8% amid a broadly downbeat Stoxx 600 index.

Fintech foreign exchange platform Wise plunged 12% after announcing it had funds in collapsed Silicon Valley Bank, despite a spokesperson telling Reuters it had "minimal exposure".

European tech stocks were down 1.85% overall.

Meanwhile banks remained some of the worst-performing stocks, with Commerzbank down 11.4% and Credit Suisse down 8.9%.

— Jenni Reid

U.S. stocks higher

U.S. stocks whipsawed in morning trade as bank stocks remained under pressure but investors weighed the likelihood that SVB's collapse may cause the Federal Reserve to pause rate hikes, boosting tech.

The S&P 500 was up 0.6% by midday New York time after falling as much as 1.4% earlier in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.2%.

— Jenni Reid

UBS says HSBC sell-off 'driven by profit-taking'

The fall of HSBC's share price following news it will buy Silicon Valley Bank's U.K. subsidiary for £1 ($1.21) is "driven by profit-taking, not fundamental weakness," UBS analysts said in a note.

HSBC confirmed the acquisition, which excludes the assets and liabilities of SVB U.K.'s parent company Silicon Valley Bank, early Monday.

"We think the 9% fall in the stock since Wednesday is profit-taking and sector rotation not a change in outlook: deposit competition increases the value of the best deposit franchises," UBS said.

"We see room for unforecast value creation through volumes, cost cuts (US, UK) and potential disposals."

On the wider banking sector, the analysts said they expected the SVB crisis to lead to more liquidity regulation for banks, an investor preference for larger banks over small ones and for retail-centric banks over commercial-centric ones, and greater competition for deposits leading to lower 2024-25 net interest margins.

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HSBC share price.

— Jenni Reid

Fallout from SVB’s collapse is unlikely to stop interest rates from rising, analyst says

Fallout from SVB's collapse is unlikely to stop interest rates from rising, analyst says
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Fallout from SVB's collapse is unlikely to stop interest rate rises: Analyst

April LaRusse, head of investment specialists at Insight Investment, says there's still "far too much" inflation.

Banks now incredibly cheap, but see no massive upside amid low growth, argues CIO

Banks now incredibly cheap, but see no massive upside amid low growth, argues CIO
VIDEO3:2003:20
Banks now incredibly cheap, but see no massive upside amid low growth, argues CIO

Patrick Armstrong, chief investment officer at Plurimi Wealth LLP, discusses the latest in the SVB fallout, and where the Fed and investors alike could go from here.

Investors must assess banks’ net interest margins in wake of SVB fallout, says investment director

Investors must assess banks' net interest margins in wake of SVB fallout, says investment director
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Investors must assess banks' net interest margins in wake of SVB fallout, says investment director

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, weighs in on the unravelling of Silicon Valley Bank.

HSBC stocks slide

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HSBC shares fell 3.7% Monday morning after news that the British bank had stepped in to buy SVB UK for £1.

— Katrina Bishop

European banks at the bottom of Stoxx 600 index; BAWAG down 9%, Commerzbank down 8%

European banks fell to the bottom of the pan-European Stoxx 600 index at the start of trade as investors continue to digest the fallout from Silicon Valley Bank's tumultuous week. As a sector banking stocks were down 4.1%.

Shares of Austria's BAWAG bank were down 9% at 9 a.m. London time, while Commerzbank shares lost 8.4%, Credit Suisse dropped 8.3% and Virgin Money UK was down 5.9%.

SVB's collapse was the second-biggest bank collapse in U.S. history.

— Hannah Ward-Glenton

British bank HSBC to acquire Silicon Valley Bank UK

British bank HSBC will acquire Silicon Valley Bank UK Limited, according to a statement by the Bank of England.

The Bank of England said the action was taken "to stabilise SVBUK, ensuring the continuity of banking services, minimising disruption to the UK technology sector and supporting confidence in the financial system."

Silicon Valley Bank caused turmoil for the banking sector and markets more widely when it surprised investors on Wednesday with news it needed to raise $2.25 billion to shore up its balance sheet, and that it had sold all its bonds at a $1.8 billion loss.

The bank was then closed by regulators after customers withdrew $42 billion of deposits by the end of Thursday.

HSBC said it will buy SVBUK for £1.

— Hannah Ward-Glenton and Matt Rosoff contributed to this report.

CNBC Pro: Shares of this little-known global chip firm are set to rise by 50%, Barclays says

Shares of a U.K.-based technology company that designs custom chips and semiconductors are expected to rise by more than 50% over the next 12 months, according to Barclays Equity Research.

The investment bank said a rapidly growing data center space would "drive sales and profit growth faster than other company in our coverage."

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more about the semiconductor stock here.

— Ganesh Rao

SVB situation is a result of easy monetary policy, Leon Cooperman says

Silicon Valley Bank went under on Friday, and investor Leon Cooperman thinks this situation is a byproduct of low interest rates from the Federal Reserve.

"This is the result of stupid monetary policy of zero-to-negative rates for a decade," Cooperman, the head of Omega Advisors, told CNBC's Scott Wapner.

The Fed cut rates to zero to stabilize the economy after the 2008 financial crisis. Rates remained low for years after until the Fed started to raise in the late 2010s. In 2020, however, the central bank brought rates back down to zero as Covid-19 spread around the world.

Over the last year, the central bank has been hiking rates to stem inflationary pressures.

— Fred Imbert

CNBC Pro: 'Unprecedented growth': Citi reveals its 4 top stocks in renewables right now

The world is going through a "rapid and transformational change" when it comes to energy, said Citi, naming four buy-rated stocks as "top picks" in the space.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Weizhen Tan

Regulators promise access to deposits starting Monday

Regulators scrambled to avert a banking crisis over the weekend, with one key objective being "strengthening public confidence" in the U.S. banking system.

A joint statement from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg said depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and New York's Signature Bank will have access to all of their money as soon as Monday.

"No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer," they said.

—Christina Cheddar Berk

Futures jump after regulators announce backstop of SVB depositors

Futures extended their gains just before 6:30 p.m. ET after U.S. regulators unveiled a plan to stem the damage from Silicon Valley Bank's collapse.

Dow futures were last higher by 297 points, or 0.9%. S&P 500 futures jumped 1.1% and Nasdaq Composite futures advanced 1.2%.

— Tanaya Macheel

European markets: Here are the opening calls

European markets are expected to open higher Thursday.

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 32 points higher at 8,365, Germany's DAX up 25 points at 18,510, France's CAC 7 points higher at 8,143 and Italy's FTSE MIB up 59 points at 33,908, according to data from IG.

Earnings are due from Ferrovial, Telefonica, EDP, Enel, Pirelli and Salvatore Ferragamo.

— Holly Ellyatt