Stock markets 'look frothy,' but Standard Chartered CEO sees no reason to panic over inflation - CNBC

LONDON —The chief executive of Standard Chartered on Thursday warned stock market valuations appear to have reached unsustainable levels amid a period of what he described as "speculative hype," warning it is possible for a tech-led sell-off to spill over into other sectors.

"There are indications that the broader stock market is frothy, whether it's the various valuation multiples (that) would indicate that the markets are, certainly (in) some aspects, are toppish," Bill Winters, CEO of Standard Chartered, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Thursday.

When asked whether soaring tech stocks could impact broader markets if they were to abruptly turn lower, Winters replied: "It is possible.

"I think there is still a very active debate over what the value is for some of these tech stocks or tech giants.

When we look at the follow through to the dotcom bubble and the number of companies that felt bubblish at the time that have gone on to have market values in excess of $1 trillion, who's to say that they were not grotesquely undervalued at the peak of the dotcom bubble and not the other way around?" Winters said.