European stocks fell on Thursday, ending a three-session winning streak, as uncertainty over Middle East peace talks weighed on investor sentiment. The STOXX 50 declined 0.8%, while the STOXX 600 lost 0.7%.
Conflicting signals from Washington and Tehran added to the unease. US officials said discussions on a proposed peace plan are in progress, but Iran denied any direct talks with Washington. At the same time, rising oil prices continued to stoke inflation concerns, putting additional pressure on equities.
Technology and industrial names led the declines. ASML Holding dropped 2.4%, Siemens Energy fell 2.9%, Thyssenkrupp slid 3.5%, and Rheinmetall was down 2.4%. In retail, H&M sank nearly 6% after reporting weaker first-quarter sales.
By contrast, NEXT jumped almost 7%, topping the STOXX 600, after posting strong profit and sales growth.
