European stocks ended Thursday’s session mixed, as persistent uncertainty over Middle Eastern energy exports coincided with a batch of divergent corporate earnings. The Eurozone’s STOXX 50 slipped 0.3% to 5,887, marking a fourth consecutive decline, while the broader STOXX 600 edged up to 615.
Geopolitical tensions remained elevated, with both Iran and the US targeting commercial vessels in the region, further prolonging the conflict. Fresh PMI data released during the session indicated that rising energy costs were weighing on activity, pushing the Eurozone economy back into contraction.
These macroeconomic headwinds hit the banking sector, with shares of Santander, Deutsche Bank, and BBVA all falling more than 2%. EssilorLuxottica dropped 4.3% after reporting a slowdown in first-quarter revenue growth, and SAP fell more than 6% ahead of its earnings release after the European close.
In contrast, L’Oréal jumped 9% after delivering its strongest quarterly growth in two years. Infineon also advanced more than 8%, buoyed by robust guidance from Italy’s STMicroelectronics.
