Europe’s Biggest Firms Are Buying Up Their Stock Again
- Repurchases in Euro Stoxx 50 shares rose in October from 2019
- Path to post-pandemic normality uneven for Europe’s sectors
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While the pandemic nearly wiped out equity buybacks over the summer, a reawakening in recent months bodes well for European investors starved of returns.
After buybacks in the blue-chip Euro Stoxx 50 Index slumped about 95% in the summer months compared to last year, October marked an increase from 2019, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. November’s tally was down 17%, but still at comparable levels to the prior month. That, along with with the gradual return of halted dividends, indicates an uptick in shareholder returns as the worst of the pandemic’s impact eases.