FX.co ★ European Stocks Snap 4-Day Wining Streak

European stocks declined on Thursday, breaking a four-day streak of gains. The Stoxx 50 fell by 0.6%, while the Stoxx 600 decreased by 0.2%. Investor attention was centered on significant decisions in monetary policy: the Bank of England was anticipated to maintain its current interest rates, the Swiss National Bank reduced rates owing to minimal inflation, and Sweden's Riksbank chose to keep its policy unchanged. In the United States, the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady but suggested the possibility of two rate cuts later in the year, even amidst uncertainties regarding Trump's trade policies. In corporate developments, shares of the German shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd plummeted by 5% following a caution that its net income for 2025 might be adversely affected by geopolitical risks. The company reported a 19% drop in its annual profit to $2.59 billion, despite achieving revenue growth, attributing the decline to fluctuating freight rates and ongoing market unpredictability.