Europe’s STOXX 600 rises on boost from energy, tech stocks

By Shashwat Chauhan

(Reuters) -Europe’s STOXX 600 advanced on Thursday, led by energy and technology stocks, buoyed by broadly upbeat earnings across sectors.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.3%, although it was pinned near a three-month low, after falling in the previous two sessions.

Telecoms was among the top five major gainers in the sub-sectors, adding 0.9%, while heavyweight energy stocks advanced 1%.

Deutsche Telekom (OTC:DTEGY) advanced 2.8% after Europe’s largest telecoms group by market capitalisation raised its full-year core profit forecast and marginally beat third-quarter core profit expectations.

ASML (AS:ASML) gained 4.4% after Europe’s largest tech firm said it expects sales to grow by 8%-14% over the coming five years, boosting the tech sub-sector 1.4%.

Minutes from the European Central Bank’s October policy meeting, where it had cut rates as expected, along with readings of euro-zone third-quarter employment and GDP are due later in the day.

“(Minutes) could include a few dovish hints, although markets may still want to see more evidence of a slowdown in data (such as PMIs) or a lower inflation print before pricing in a 50bp cut in December,” strategists at ING said in a note.

Recent euro-zone data showed inflation is on track to reach the ECB’s 2% goal, its Vice-President Luis de Guindos said.

Despite Thursday’s gains, the STOXX 600 index was yet to rise above last week’s levels, when European equities were rocked after Donald Trump’s sweeping victory in the U.S. presidential election.

The likelihood of tariffs by the Trump administration have kept European investors on edge.

Later in the day, comments from ECB President Christine Lagarde and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell would be on investors’ radar.

Among other stocks, Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) jumped 11.2% after Italy sold a 15% stake in the bank to rival Banco BPM, which also gained 4.7%.

Siemens (ETR:SIEGn) rose 7.5%, after the German engineering group beat fourth-quarter profit estimates.

Burberry (LON:BRBY) soared 13.8% after announcing a turnaround plan that was met with relief, as the British luxury retailer swung to a loss in the first half of its financial year.

Allegro (WA:ALEP) slid close to 14% after Poland’s biggest e-commerce platform said it expects a decline in its fourth-quarter earnings.