FX.co ★ European Stocks Close Mixed

European stock markets ended Wednesday with varied performances amid a flurry of corporate updates, as investors assessed differing interest rate outlooks from the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Eurozone's STOXX 50 edged up by 0.1% to 5,693, while the broader STOXX 600 similarly rose by 0.1% to 576. ECB President Christine Lagarde commented that inflation in the bloc is projected to hover around the target rate, although Executive Board Member Philip Lane highlighted potential upward risks to inflation. In contrast, weak labor market data from the United States reinforced expectations of a potential rate cut by the Fed in the upcoming week. In corporate news, ASML's shares climbed 2.6% following an upgrade from Bank of America and JPMorgan. Inditex saw a considerable gain of 9% bolstered by robust earnings and affirming its annual outlook. Stellantis experienced a significant rise of 7.7% after UBS upgraded it, and Airbus increased by 1.5% as it remained committed to its financial goals despite altering its delivery timeline. Conversely, the financial sector suffered losses, with shares in Allianz, ING, and Santander declining between 1.3% and 2%.