Feb 17 ,2026
Synopsis:
European equity markets finished in positive territory. Real estate, health care stocks outperform; miners and food & beverage lag. Follows mostly mixed performance on Monday.
No meaningful development in the narrative. Recent focus has been on AI disruption risk, Mag 7 underperformance, elevated single-stock (and basket) volatility, defensives as a rotation beneficiary, BTD debates (lack of backstop for AI victims vs overall inflows), less-stretched sentiment and (some) positioning readings, solid macro data (particularly January employment and inflation)and elevated geopolitical tensions.
Macro focus on UK labor market ahead of tomorrow's key inflation update. Official data showed further cooling, reinforcing the view that slack is increasing. The ILO unemployment rate rose to a fresh cycle high of 5.2%, claimant count increased more than expected by 28.6K versus 22.8K forecast and prior 2.7K increase down from 17.9K. Germany's final January inflation print was confirmed at 2.1% y/y, matching preliminary reading and marking an uptick from Dec's 1.8%. ZEW expectations unexpectedly slipped to 58.3 in Feb from Jan's 59.6, missing consensus of 65.0 by 6.9 points-a notable downside surprise-tempering trader optimism for Europe's largest economy. Current conditions improved as forecast, up 6.8 points to -65.9, offering partial offset.
In earnings news, in the DACH region, DKSH Holding (DKSH.SW) and Basilea Pharmaceutica (BSLN.SW) reported FY earnings this morning, with the latter also issuing its agenda for 2030, indicating it expects to add CHF 600M in cumulative cash flows from Cresemba and Zevtera. Expect pressure on Flughafen Zurich (FHZN.SW) shares as airport tariffs have been cut by more than expected. In France, Aeroport de Paris (ADP.FP) released January traffic figures, whilst Vicat (VCT.FP) reported FY earnings. In Nordics, Sinch (SINCH.SS), Hacksaw (HACK.SS), and Truecaller (TRUE.B.SS) issued end of year figures. In the UK, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG.LN), Boohoo Group Plc (DEBS.LN), and Antofagasta (ANTO.LN) are amongst others in the region to update investors with their latest numbers. BHP Group (BHP.LN) shares are trading higher in Australia as EPS & dividend ahead; copper strength offset weaker coal performance; silver streaming sale viewed positively. Elsewhere, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP.NA) reported FY earnings, announced a €1B buyback and guided FY26 and Kerry Group (KRZ.ID) released FY numbers, announced a €300M share buyback and guided 2026 constant currency adjusted EPS growth of +6-10%.
Looking ahead to tomorrow's EU econ-calendar, notable releases will include, amongst others, UK Jan CPI/RPI, PPI output/input, and France Jan final CPI.
Digest:
Sectors - STOXX Europe 600:
Outperformers:
Real Estate +1.83%, Health Care +1.41%, Banks +1.12%, Insurance +0.93%, Travel & Leisure +0.89%, Technology +0.81%, Media +0.79%, Retail +0.73%, Telecom +0.71%, Autos & Parts +0.68%
Underperformers:
Basic Resources (1.59%), Food & Beverage (0.94%), Oil & Gas (0.64%), Financial Svcs (0.16%), Construct & Mtls (0.11%), Ind Goods & Svcs (0.04%), Chemicals +0.03%, Utilities +0.39%, Persnl & HHold Goods +0.44%
Macro:
Central Banks:
Betting on BOE Cuts -- Bloomberg
EU:
EU weighs two-track approach to break economic reform deadlock -- Reuters
EU annual budget 2027: Council sets guidelines for next year's EU budget -- Council of the EU
UK:
Germany:
German economy remains stuck and set for just 1% growth in 2026, chamber of commerce says -- Reuters
Italy
Italy to be an observer on Trump's board of peace, minister says-- Bloomberg
Company news:
Notable Gainers
+7.3% BAYN.GR (Bayer AG €46.18, +3.38) -- Bayer AG preparing to announce $10.5B settlement push to resolve current and future Roundup cases -- Bloomberg, citing sources
+7.3% DKSH.SW (DKSH Holding CHF61.70, +4.40) -- FY earnings
+6.2% SSPG.LN (SSP Group £2.00, +0.12) -- UBS upgrade
+5.2% CSN.LN (Chesnara £3.14, +0.16) -- acquires 100% of Scottish Widows Europe SA for tot. cash €110M
+5.1% HLAG.GR (Hapag-Lloyd €114.90, +5.60) -- merger agreement with ZIM Integrated Shipping Services
+5.1% AVOL.SW (Avolta CHF52.45, +2.52) -- UBS upgrade
+4.9% ERG.IM (ERG €22.38, +1.06) -- ERG exploring industrial alliances in renewables sector; A2A and Axpo emerging among hypothetical partners -- Corriere della Sera
+4.7% NOTE.SS (NOTE SEK169.80, +7.80) -- Nordea upgrade
+3.7% ITM.LN (ITM Power £0.66, +0.02) -- raises FY26 revenue guidance
+2.7% FHZN.SW (Flughafen Zuerich CHF249.80, +7.00) -- concluded negotiations on flight operations charges
+2.5% GSK.LN (GSK Plc £22.12, +0.55) -- Exdensur approved by EC; commences £0.45B fourth tranche of buyback program
+2.3% ONCIN.NO (BerGenBio NOK46.70, +1.01) -- Radspherin phase 1 ovarian cancer study follow-up data
Notable Decliners
-31.2% ALSN.SW (ALSO Holding CHF167.40, -60.40) -- FY earnings
-23.3% G5EN.SS (G5 Entertainment SEK56.90, -19.40) -- Q4 earnings
-16.0% DEBS.LN (Debenhams Group £0.21, -0.04) -- ~£35M equity fundraise
-14.3% SINCH.SS (Sinch SEK20.70, -3.36) -- FY earnings
-14.1% CAT.B.SS (Catella SEK22.60, -3.60) -- Q4 earnings
-11.8% BFF.IM (BFF Bank SpA €3.67, -0.45) -- response to media reports on Milan's Public Prosecutor's Office preliminary investigations
-7.5% FAG.SS (Fagerhult Group SEK39.05, -2.70) -- Q4 earnings
-6.9% SSH1V.FH (SSH Communications Security €2.37, -0.18) -- Q4 earnings
-6.1% KRZ.ID (Kerry Group €75.45, -4.75) -- FY earnings; new Chair
-5.4% BAHN.B.SS (Bahnhof SEK50.90, -2.90) -- Q4 earnings
-5.2% PLUS.LN (Plus500 £44.42, -2.44) -- holders sold 1.5M shares
-5.1% NRC.NO (NRC Group NOK9.08, -0.43) -- Q4 earnings
-4.8% ALFEN.NA (Alfen €9.07, -0.46) -- Oddo downgrade
-4.3% SINT.SS (SinterCast SEK87.00, -4.00) -- Q4 earnings
-3.7% ASPO.FH (Aspo €7.34, -0.28) -- Evli Bank downgrade
-3.5% FCT.IM (Fincantieri €16.26, -0.58) -- Mediobanca downgrade
-3.5% VCT.FP (Vicat €69.80, -2.60) -- FY earnings
-3.4% ANTO.LN (Antofagasta £35.93, -1.29) -- FY earnings
-3.0% ECOR.LN (Ecora Royalties £1.37, -0.04) -- FY earnings
-2.3% SPR.LN (Springfield Properties £1.21, -0.03) -- H1 earnings
-2.0% NOEJ.GR (Norma Group €15.52, -0.32) -- prelim. FY earnings
EU companies reporting tomorrow:
Earnings:
Benelux: ASR Nederland (ASRNL.NA), IMCD (IMCD.NA)
DACHs: Straumann Holding (STMN.SW), EFG International (EFGN.SW), Sunrise Communications (SUNN.SW), CPH Group (CPHN.SW), Wienerberger (WIE.AV), SAF-HOLLAND (SFQ.GR)
Denmark: FLSmidth & Co. (FLS.DC)
France: Orange (ORA.FP), Euronext (ENX.FP), Aeroport de Paris (ADP.FP), Covivio (COV.FP), Eramet (ERA.FP)
Norway: Zaptec (ZAP.NO), PhotoCure (PHO.NO), S.D. Standard (SDSD.NO)
Southern Europe: Naturgy Energy Group (NTGY.SM)
Sweden: L E Lundbergföretagen (LUND.B.SS), Castellum (CAST.SS), BioArctic (BIOA.B.SS), Scandic Hotels Group (SHOT.SS), Bravida Holding (BRAV.SS), OEM International (OEM.B.SS), Cibus Nordic Real Estate (CIBUS.SS), VBG Group (VBG.B.SS), Momentum Group (MMGR.B.SS), Nordrest Holding (NREST.SS), Kambi Group (KAMBI.SS), Orrön Energy (ORRON.SS), BICO Group (BICO.SS), SynAct Pharma (SYNACT.SS), SaltX Technology Holding (SALT.B.SS), Cinclus Pharma Holding (CINPHA.SS), Medivir (MVIR.SS), Isofol Medical (ISOFOL.SS)
UK: Glencore (GLEN.LN), BAE Systems (BA.LN), CRH (CRH.LN), Pan African Resources (PAF.LN), Conduit Holdings (CRE.LN)
Data:
Economics:
Germany
Feb
ZEW Economic Sentiment Indicator 58.3 consensus 65.2 and prior 59.6
ZEW Current Situation (65.9) vs consensus (65.7) and prior (72.7)
Jan CPI +2.1% y/y vs preliminary +2.1%
UK
Jan Claimant Count Change +28.6K vs consensus +22.8K and prior revised +2.7K from +17.9K
Dec Unemployment Rate 5.2% vs consensus 5.1% and prior 5.1%
Markets:
WTI Crude (26-Mar): ($0.65) or (1.03%) to $62.24
€-$ (0.0018) or (0.15%) to 1.1834
£-$ (0.0095) or (0.70%) to 1.3534
€-£ +0.0049 to 0.8745
S&P 500 +0.02%
Performance year-to-date:
FTSE 100: +6.29%
DAX: +2.07%
CAC: +2.60%
MIB: +1.82%
Stoxx 600: +4.91%
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