European Stocks Close On Firm Note On Earnings, Easing Geopolitical Tensions

European markets ended higher on Thursday, underpinned by upbeat earnings news and easing geopolitical worries. The pan-European Stoxx 600 rose 0.8%, with technology leading after Micron reported stronger-than-expected results and increased its revenue outlook, strengthening investor confidence in AI. Major indexes also moved up: the UK’s FTSE 100 gained 0.65%, Germany’s DAX rose 1.03%, and France’s CAC 40 finished 0.55% higher, while Switzerland’s SMI added 0.81%. In company news, 3i Group jumped 11.5% after highlighting expectations for profit growth at Action and reporting €699m in cash after its dividend. Bayer surged nearly 19% after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling supporting its Roundup-related lawsuits. Meanwhile, easyJet shares rose after rejecting Castlelake’s fourth takeover proposal. Economically, Germany’s GfK-powered NIM Consumer Climate improved, with the July sentiment index rising to -29.2 from -29.7.