European Markets React to Economic Indicators

On Thursday, European stock markets mostly closed lower, influenced by the latest Eurozone consumer confidence report which aligned with expectations, failing to provide a positive surprise. The European Central Bank (ECB) also played a role in the market's reaction by not providing a clear forecast on inflation or its future interest rate decisions.

Stock Performances Across Europe

The DAX index in Germany fell by 1.13%, with Zalando SE experiencing a significant drop of 4.05%. France's CAC 40 decreased by 0.66%, largely due to a 5.62% plunge in Stellantis NV shares. The Euro Stoxx 50 wasn't spared, declining by 1.16%, with Ferrari S.p.A. seeing a sharp decline of 7.91%. In contrast, the UK's FTSE 100 saw a slight increase of 0.23%, buoyed by Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC's impressive 15.18% surge, ahead of a key meeting between British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump.

Currency Movements

Currency markets also felt the impact, with the euro losing 0.78% against the US dollar, and the British pound decreasing by 0.42%, trading at $1.04046 and $1.26209, respectively, by 5:28 pm CET.