Feb 05 ,2026
Synopsis:
European equity markets ended lower. Follows a mixed to mostly higher close on Wednesday. Tech and media best performers after recent selloff; banks and basic resources outsized decliners.
Technology sector still in focus as sector recovers. Scrutiny on AI-related weakness and concentration risk, but there has also been focus on broadening-out trade. Attention today on central bank policy with ECB and BoE both leving policy on hold. The ECB kept its key rates unchanged for the fifth consecutive meeting at 2%. Emphasized uncertain outlook amid ongoing trade uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. Highlighted that updated assessment reconfirms that inflation should stabilize at 2% target in the medium term. Earlier, The BoE left key Bank Rate unchanged at 3.75% by narrower-than-expected 5-4 vote split. Governor Bailey said on basis of current evidence, likely to cut rates further.
In politics, UK PM Starmer under increased pressure after admitting he was warned about former US ambassador Mandelson's friendship with Epstein before appointing him. Labour MPs warn Starmer's days as leader may be numbered.
On the macro-front, big beat in German factory orders for December +7.8% m/m vs consensus (1.8%) and prior revised +5.7% from +5.6%, amid large orders, particularly in metal products and mechanical engineering sector. Germany January Construction PMI miss 44.7 vs consensus 50.5 and prior 50.3 while UK beat 46.4 vs consensus 42.0 and prior 40.1. French industrial production unexpectedly dropped (0.7%) m/m vs consensus +0.2% and prior revised +0.1% from (0.1%). Elsewhere, EZ December Retail Sales decline by (0.5%) m/m vs consensus (0.2%) and prior revised to +0.1% from +0.2%.
On the M&A newsflow, Rio Tinto (RIO.LN) and Glencore (GLEN.LN) have called off discussions around a potential merger. Very busy day for earnings, with a slew of bank updates from BNP Paribas (BNP.FP), BBVA (BBVA.SM) and Danske Bank (DANSKE.DC) whilst, in the DACH region, Siemens Healthineers (SHL.GR), Hannover Re (HNR1.GR) and Aurubis (NDA.GR) released their latest results. In the Nordics, Mearsk (MAERSK.B.DC) , Pandora (PNDORA.DC), Saab (SAAB.A.SS), Vestas (VWS.DC), Volvo Car (VOLCAR.B.SS), GN Store Nord (GN.DC), DNO (DNO.NO), Neste (NESTE.FH) and Sampo (SAMPO.FH) were among several other names from the region to report Q4/FY25 updates. In the UK, Vodafone (VOD.LN) and BT (BT.A.LN), together with Shell (SHEL.LN) and Anglo American (AAL.LN) were the main names. In the Netherlands, ArcelorMittal (MT.NA) reported FY numbers.
Looking ahead to tomorrow's EU econ-calendar, notable releases will include, amongst others, Germany Dec trade balance, industrial production, France Dec trade balance and UK Jan house price index - Halifax.
Digest:
Sectors - STOXX Europe 600:
Outperformers:
Technology +0.87%, Media +0.47%, Food & Beverage +0.41%, Persnl & HHold Goods +0.26%, Telecom (0.22%), Chemicals (0.25%), Construct & Mtls (0.39%), Health Care (0.47%), Ind Goods & Svcs (0.55%), Real Estate (0.81%), Financial Svcs (0.86%), Utilities (1.04%)
Underperformers:
Banks (3.50%), Basic Resources (3.41%), Autos & Parts (2.58%), Oil & Gas (2.39%), Travel & Leisure (2.20%), Retail (1.12%), Insurance (1.06%)
Macro:
Central banks:
EU:
EU Aims to Sharpen Its Competitive Edge -- Bloomberg
The EU-India agreement is huge - and it illustrates the changing role of trade in a fractured world order -- Conversation
EU, Australia to meet in Brussels to pursue free trade deal -- Bloomberg
UK:
Germany:
France:
Macron sends his diplomatic adviser to Moscow -- LeMonde
Italy:
Company news:
Notable Gainers
+13.8% NOD.NO (Nordic Semiconductor NOK149.60, +18.10) -- earnings
+13.5% RAA.GR (Rational €748.50, +89.50) -- prelim earnings
+12.0% ATT.SS (Attendo SEK101.60, +10.90) -- earnings
+11.9% MILDEF.SS (MilDef Group NT$137.00, +14.60) -- earnings
+11.4% BACTI.B.SS (Bactiguard Holding SEK16.55, +1.70) -- earnings
+11.3% CEVI.SS (CellaVision SEK157.00, +16.00) -- earnings
+9.2% SVIK.SS (Studsvik SEK355.00, +30.00) -- earnings
+8.0% SOBI.SS (Swedish Orphan Biovitrum SEK387.00, +28.60) -- earnings
+7.0% CLA.B.SS (Cloetta SEK48.88, +3.20) -- target up at Nordea
+6.8% RUG.SS (Rugvista Group SEK66.20, +4.20) -- earnings
+6.7% PEAB.B.SS (Peab SEK99.00, +6.25) -- DNB Carnegie, Handelsbanken, SEB upgrades
+6.0% ACE.SS (Ascelia Pharma SEK2.76, +0.16) -- earnings
+5.6% PNDORA.DC (Pandora DKK541.20, +28.60) -- earnings
+5.4% SZG.GR (Salzgitter €50.10, +2.58) -- target up at Deutsche Bank
+5.4% FUM.LN (Futura Medical £0.01, -0.00) -- Futura Medical has been granted notice of allowance of its US continuation patent for Eroxon, WSD4000 until 2040
+5.1% DETEC.FH (Detection Technology €11.30, +0.55) -- earnings
+4.8% LOG.SM (Logista Integral €33.06, +1.54) -- earnings
+4.1% FSKRS.FH (Fiskars €12.60, +0.50) -- earnings; Vita reorganization
+3.8% TNIE.GR (tonies €10.94, +0.40) -- prelim earnings
+3.3% TBLD.LN (tinyBuild £0.08, -0.00) -- trading update
+3.3% STMN.SW (Straumann Holding CHF97.98, +3.14) -- read-across from US peer Align cited
+3.1% PNDX.B.SS (Pandox SEK198.00, +6.00) -- earnings
+3.1% MT.NA (ArcelorMittal €48.93, +1.47) -- earnings
+3.1% SLIGR.NA (Sligro Food Group €12.08, +0.36) -- earnings
+2.2% BILI.A.SS (Bilia SEK131.90, +2.90) -- earnings
+2.1% PTEC.LN (Playtech £2.88, +0.06) -- trading update
+2.0% SAP.GR (SAP €170.18, +3.28) -- first tranche of buyback initiated
+1.9% ASSA.B.SS (Assa Abloy SEK388.00, +7.40) -- earnings
Notable Decliners
-88.5% AKH.NO (Aker Horizons NOK0.04, -0.34) -- to liquidate and delist shares
-39.7% FRACTL.SS (Fractal Gaming Group SEK13.00, -8.55) -- earnings
-22.5% VOLCAR.B.SS (Volvo Car SEK22.93, -6.67) -- earnings
-20.1% CHEMM.DC (ChemoMetec DKK463.00, -116.50) -- earnings
-16.7% ITECH.SS (I-Tech SEK43.50, -8.70) -- earnings
-14.1% HDD.GR (Heidelberger Druckmaschinen €1.60, -0.26) -- earnings
-13.9% NORION.SS (Norion Bank SEK58.40, -9.40) -- earnings
-10.9% SOLAR.B.DC (Solar DKK201.00, -24.50) -- earnings
-9.9% NCC.B.SS (NCC SEK212.00, -23.20) -- earnings
-9.6% MYCR.SS (Mycronic SEK188.88, -19.97) -- earnings
-9.3% ROKO.B.SS (Röko SEK1,501.80, -154.80) -- earnings
-8.8% BBVA.SM (Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria €20.10, -1.93) -- earnings
-8.7% VWS.DC (Vestas Wind Systems DKK176.40, -16.75) -- earnings
-7.9% FSECURE.FH (F-Secure €1.68, -0.14) -- earnings
-7.3% ORX.SS (Orexo SEK27.20, -2.15) -- earnings
-6.5% RHM.GR (Rheinmetall €1,565.50, -108.50) -- pre-close call
-6.0% NWG.LN (NatWest Group £6.53, -0.42) -- Barclays and NatWest to be involved this week in the bidding process for Evelyn Partners at more than £2B for the wealth management group - Sky
-5.8% FRES.LN (Fresnillo £35.40, -2.20) -- Berneberg downgrade
-5.6% LLOY.LN (Lloyds Banking Group £1.06, -0.06) -- Barclays and NatWest to be involved this week in the bidding process for Evelyn Partners at more than £2B for the wealth management group - Sky
-5.6% PRIC.B.SS (Pricer SEK3.88, -0.23) -- earnings
-5.5% NEWA.B.SS (New Wave Group SEK104.00, -6.10) -- earnings
-5.2% FUTR.LN (Future Plc £4.86, -0.26) -- trading update
-5.1% AFRY.SS (AFRY AB SEK135.10, -7.30) -- earnings
-4.9% HIK.LN (Hikma Pharmaceuticals £15.59, -0.80) -- Brookfield Private Capital discloses it does not intend to make an offer for Hikma Pharmaceuticals
-4.8% KESKOB.FH (Kesko €20.84, -1.06) -- earnings
-4.7% VOD.LN (Vodafone Group £1.09, -0.05) -- earnings
-4.7% HLUN.B.DC (H. Lundbeck DKK36.98, -1.84) -- target cuts at Danske Bank, SEB
-4.5% AKTIA.FH (Aktia Bank €11.92, -0.56) -- earnings; impairments
-4.4% SHB.A.SS (Svenska Handelsbanken SEK140.45, -6.40) -- SEB downgrade
-4.1% NESTE.FH (Neste €20.63, -0.88) -- earnings
-3.7% MAERSK.B.DC (Maersk DKK15,385.00, -595.00) -- earnings
-2.9% NDA.GR (Aurubis €161.80, -4.90) -- earnings
-1.9% CPG.LN (Compass Group £21.65, -0.43) -- trading statement
EU companies reporting tomorrow:
Earnings:
Benelux: Aperam (APAM.NA), Lotus Bakeries (LOTB.BB), Orange Belgium (OBEL.BB)
DACHs: EMS-Chemie Holding (EMSN.SW), Vontobel Holding (VONN.SW), LEM Holding (LEHN.SW), All for One Group (A1OS.GR)
France: Societe Generale (GLE.FP), Ayvens (AYV.FP)
Finland: Kone (KNEBV.FH), Valmet (VALMT.FH), Yit (YIT.FH), Lindex Group (LINDEX.FH), Consti (CONSTI.FH),
Denmark: Ørsted (ORSTED.DC), Coloplast (COLO.B.DC), Gyldendal (GYLD.A.DC),
Norway: Kongsberg Gruppen (KOG.NO), Telenor (TEL.NO), Aker Solutions (AKSO.NO),
Sweden: Skanska (SKA.B.SS), Industrivarden (INDU.A.SS), Fastighets Balder (BALD.B.SS), Lagercrantz Group (LAGR.B.SS), Beijer Alma (BEIA.B.SS), Hoist Finance (HOFI.SS), Vitec Software Group (VIT.B.SS), MedCap (MCAP.SS), Boozt Fashion (BOOZT.SS), Duni (DUNI.SS), Knowit (KNOW.SS), Humana (HUM.SS), CTT Systems (CTT.SS), Xspray Pharma (XSPRAY.SS), CTEK (CTEK.SS), Infant Bacterial Therapeutics (IBT.B.SS), Duroc (DURC.B.SS), Balco Group (BALCO.SS), Dedicare (DEDI.SS), Netel Holding (NETEL.SS)
Southern Europe: Banco de Sabadell (SAB.SM), Banca Sistema (BST.IM)
Data:
Economics:
Eurozone Dec Retail Sales +1.3% y/y vs consensus +1.6% and prior revised to +2.4% from +2.3%
Germany
Dec Factory Orders m/m +7.8% vs consensus (1.8%) and prior revised to +5.7% from +5.6%
Jan Construction PMI 44.7 vs consensus 50.5 and prior 50.3
France Dec Industrial Production m/m (0.7%) vs consensus +0.2% and prior revised to +0.1% from (0.1%)
UK Jan Construction PMI 46.4 vs consensus 42.0 and prior 40.1
Italy Dec Retail Sales y/y +0.9% vs consensus +1.4% and prior +1.3%
Markets:
WTI Crude (26-Mar): ($1.92) or (2.95%) to $63.22
€-$ (0.0015) or (0.13%) to 1.1794
£-$ (0.0108) or (0.79%) to 1.3547
€-£ +0.0062 to 0.8709
S&P 500 (0.84%)
Performance year-to-date:
FTSE 100: +3.80%
DAX: +0.00%
CAC: +1.09%
MIB: +1.95%
Stoxx 600: +3.29%
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