Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 experienced a slight uptick of 0.2% on Friday, recovering from two consecutive sessions of declines. While these minor gains were observed, the indices are poised to conclude the week with little change, as market participants seek new drivers amidst persistent concerns about the US fiscal scenario, which continues to disturb the global markets and propel bond yields upward.
In terms of trade relations, high-level interactions between Beijing and Washington persisted, with senior representatives engaging in discussions on Thursday. This development is an encouraging indication of both parties' openness to reaching an agreement. Additionally, officials from the EU and US are anticipated to conduct a trade discussion today.
On the economic data front, Germany’s GDP growth for the first quarter was revised upward to 0.4%, doubling the initial projection of 0.2%. This improvement was predominantly attributed to robust performance in the manufacturing sector and a significant increase in exports during March.
In the corporate realm, Bayer, Philips, SAP, and Siemens emerged as standout performers, recording gains of 2.4%, 1.5%, 1%, and 0.8%, respectively.
