FX.co ★ European Stocks Rise

European stocks traded higher on Friday, with the STOXX 50 up 1.1% and the STOXX 600 advancing 0.9%, following a global rally in technology shares as investors renewed their appetite for AI-related stocks. Sentiment was further supported by a fresh batch of corporate earnings and lower oil prices. Among notable movers, ASML rose 3.4%, Infineon jumped 6.8%, STMicroelectronics gained 4.1% and Siemens Energy added 3.6%. NatWest climbed 3.8% after reporting a stronger-than-expected 29% increase in pre-tax profit, while Saint-Gobain advanced 4.8% on the back of an acceleration in second-quarter sales growth. Engie gained 4.2% after posting a 3.3% rise in earnings, and Credit Agricole rose 3.6% after reporting higher profit for Q2. Worldline surged nearly 19% following its earnings release. In contrast, Vivendi slumped more than 13%, making it the worst performer on the STOXX 600. For the week, the STOXX 50 is up 1% and the STOXX 600 has gained 0.9%. In July to date, the STOXX 50 has risen 0.2%, while the STOXX 600 has advanced 1.3%.