European stocks traded steady as Unilever’s strong Q2 earnings lifted consumer‑sector shares, helping to counterbalance a broader decline in semiconductor stocks.
JPMorgan continues to ramp up short positions against Rovi despite the company’s recent rally following its earnings release, indicating a bearish stance on the Spanish pharma firm listed on the IBEX 35.
The week began with markets driven by a plunge in oil prices. Attention then shifted to the technology sector, especially the correction affecting the most speculative AI‑related investments. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 10%, while the IBEX 35 managed to withstand these pressures and remain close to its record highs.
TotalEnergies, the French energy group, will be able to keep exporting LNG from the Yamal field in Siberia to Asian markets after the EU temporarily lifted sanctions that would have blocked such sales.
ASML shares fell to their lowest level since early June after a report that a Chinese state‑backed firm has started mass‑producing deep‑ultraviolet (DUV) lithography tools, which could erode demand for ASML’s equipment.
Vodafone Group Plc reported first‑quarter service revenue growth that exceeded analysts’ expectations, thanks to increased sales in Germany, its biggest market.
Spanish companies such as Santander, Iberdrola, Repsol, Naturgy, Acerinox and Inditex, together with European firms ASML, ING, UniCredit and AXA, have reached unprecedented share price levels, and experts are confident about their upward trajectory.
Banco Sabadell’s shares jumped nearly 4% on the Madrid Stock Exchange, driven by the announcement of a share repurchase plan and positive outlook guidance, marking the stock’s biggest rise since June 12.
The Spanish insurer Mapfre announced yesterday the purchase of US safety insurer Safety for €1.352 billion. The market reacted negatively, with Mapfre’s shares dropping nearly 5%, marking the biggest decline since January 20 when the stock fell more than 8%.
The German DAX index rose, with SAP shares at the forefront, as market participants paid attention to trade policy, macroeconomic data and developments in the Middle East.