European stocks experienced a comeback from a subdued start on Thursday. This saw the STOXX 50 rise by 0.2% and the STOXX 600 inching up by 0.1% as market participants concentrated on central bank policy decisions. The Federal Reserve implemented the anticipated 25 basis points rate cut and hinted at a further reduction anticipated in 2026. Similarly, the Swiss National Bank opted to maintain its interest rate at 0% today, in line with expectations, while also suggesting that additional cuts could still be on the table.
RS Group surged over 5%, leading the STOXX 600, following a rating upgrade from JPMorgan. Other notable gainers included Maersk (+3.7%), Schneider Electric (+3.6%), Brunello Cucinelli (+3.4%), and Capgemini (+3%). Investors also saw solid returns from LVMH (+0.7%), AstraZeneca (+1.2%), Siemens (+1.5%), and Inditex (+1%). Conversely, the technology sector faced pressure, primarily due to ongoing concerns from weak sales and profit forecasts by Oracle, although some stocks showed attempts at recovery. ASML Holding and Infineon Technologies hovered near their opening values, while SAP saw a decline of 2.2%.
