European stock indices ended their trading on Friday with a collective rise, closing a week full of fluctuations with clear gains, amid a climate of cautious optimism among investors regarding the global economic outlook and future monetary policies in the Eurozone.
The gains were supported by an improved risk appetite in the markets, along with positive results from some major companies, which restored momentum to European indices that faced pressures at the beginning of the week. The gains were concentrated in sectors such as banking, energy, and industry, with investors continuing to monitor developments in the global economy and geopolitical tensions.
In Germany, the DAX index rose by 0.8%, supported by strong performance from industrial company stocks, amid optimistic forecasts for an improvement in economic activity in the largest European economy. Expectations for stability in monetary policies from the European Central Bank also supported the index's performance.
In France, the CAC 40 index recorded a rise of 0.5%, driven by the increase in stocks of luxury goods and banks, amid signs of improving global demand and stability in global markets, which bolstered investor confidence in the French market.
In the United Kingdom, the FTSE 100 index closed with limited gains of 0.1%, amid mixed performance of leading stocks, with continued market anticipation regarding the inflation trajectory and the likelihood of interest rate cuts from the Bank of England in the coming months.
In Spain, the IBEX 35 index achieved a notable performance, rising by 1.3%, making it one of the top-performing indices during the session, thanks to strong support from financial sector stocks. This superior performance reflects increasing investor confidence in the relative economic stability of Spain.
In Italy, the FTSE MIB index rose by 1.4%, recording the highest percentage of gains among the major European exchanges, supported by a broad rise in financial and industrial company stocks, amid optimism regarding the economic directions of the Italian government.
