European Markets Close Mixed As Investors React To Earnings

European stocks closed on a mixed note on Wednesday with investors reacting to a slew of corporate earnings updates from the region, and data showing a bigger than expected jobs growth in the U.S. in the month of January in addition to looking ahead to a report on U.S. consumer price inflation due later in the week.

The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.1%. Germany’s DAX ended down 0.53% and France’s CAC 40 closed lower by 0.18%, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 outperformed the other major markets and closed stronger by 1.14%. Switzerland’s SMI gained 0.31%.

Among other markets in Europe, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia and Sweden closed higher.

Czech Republic, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland and Spain ended weak, while Greece and Türkiye closed flat.

In the UK market, mining stock Antofagasta climbed more than 6%. Fresnillo and Endeavour Mining moved up by about 3.4% over their previous closing levels. Rio Tinto gained 2.8% and Anglo American Plc ended nearly 2.5% up.

BP gained about 5.5% and Shell ended nearly 3% up.

Persimmon rallied 5.3% and AstraZeneca gained 4.7%, while Coca-Cola HBC, SSE, Ashtead Group and Segro moved up 3%-3.5%. National Grid, Vodafone Group, Tesco, BT Group, Howden Joinery and Severn Trent also closed with impressive gains.

St. James’s Place tanked more than 13%, weighed down by the launch of AI-powered planning tool from U.S. tech firm Altruist. The startup said its tool could analyze tax returns and payslips without manual intervention, helping financial advisors produce “fully personalized tax strategies” in minutes.

Relx closed lower by 6.2%, Entain ended 5.2% down, Babcock International, Experian and The Sage Group finished lower by 3.9%-4.2%, while Metlen Energy & Metal, Games Workshop, Intertek Group, IAG, Rightmove, Compas Group, Schroders and Melrose Industries lost 2%-3.4%.

In the German market, Siemens Energy zoomed more than 8% after the company’s net profit tripled in the first quarter..

Vonovia gained 3.2%, while E.ON, Infineon, BASF, Daimler Truck Holding, Deutsche Telekom, Henkel, RWE, Munich RE and Hannover Rueck ended higher by 1%-2%.

Zalando closed more than 6% down. SAP ended nearly 5% down, while Scout closed lower by 4%. Deutsche Boerse, Allianz, Commerzbank, Siemens Healthineers, Rheinmetall, MTU Aero Engines, Heidelberg Materials and Siemens lost 1%-3%.

In the French market, ArcelorMittal, Orange, STMicroelectronics, Schneider Electric, TotalEnergies and Legrand gained 3%-5%.

Engie, Carrefour, Bouygues and Veolia Environment also posted sharp gains.

Dassault Systemes dropped 20% after the company reported fourth-quarter revenue that fell short of estimates, and lowered its guidance for 2026.

Publicis Groupe ended nearly 9% down. Capgemini lost 8%, while Eurofins Scientific, Kering, Thales, Airbus, LVMH, Bureau Veritas, Societe Generale, AXA, Accor, Danone and Edenred closed lower by 1%-4%.

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