European stocks traded in a mixed fashion on Monday, with investors reacting to the release of regional manufacturing data.
The DAX index in Germany gained 0.7% and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. fell 0.2%, while the CAC 40 in France dropped 0.1%.
Manufacturing activity data Sentiment received a minor hit early Monday after private sector data showed that China’s manufacturing sector grew less than expected in October, as the second largest economy in the world grappled with cooling prices and a deteriorating economic outlook.
But the print still showed some expansion in China’s manufacturing sector, in contrast to government PMIs from last week which showed a contraction.
The equivalent data for most of the major European economies, including the eurozone as a whole, was reported, followed by similar numbers from the U.S..
In Spain, the HCOB Manufacturing PMI came in at 52.1, above the 51.7 forecast. Meanwhile, France was 48.8, slightly above the 48.3 expected and Germany came in at 49.6, in line with the forecast. Europe as a whole was also in line with expectations at 50.
The European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged last week, for the third consecutive meeting, with policymakers indicating that policy was in a "good place."
The ECB holds its final policy-setting meeting of the year in December, and many economists now expect the central bank to hold the interest rates steady, potentially through most of 2026.
3rd party Ad. Not an offer or recommendation by Investing.com. See disclosure here or remove ads. Sweden’s Riksbank will announce its latest interest rate decision on Wednesday, followed by the Bank of England on Thursday.
European stocks outperformed in October European stocks outperformed their U.S. counterparts in October, led by gains in the UK, France and Spain, according to Barclays in a note dated Monday.
The brokerage said resilient third-quarter earnings and renewed investor demand helped lift European returns despite global volatility.
Globally, equities “continued to climb the wall of worries making new highs again in October,” the London-based bank said. Concerns about “rising credit defaults in the U.S. and renewed U.S.-China trade spat pushed X-asset volatility higher,” but the setback was brief.
The rebound was supported by “resilient Q3 earnings” and “AI tailwinds,” which “boosted them to the highs.”
Ryanair reports jump in H1 profit It’s a relatively quiet day for earnings in Europe Monday, but the number of important quarterly results picks up as the week progresses.
Ryanair (IR:RYA) reported a 42% increase in first-half profit, but the Irish low-cost carrier said tougher year-over-year fare comparisons and geopolitical risks could weigh on performance in the second half of the year.
PostNL (AS:PTNL) reported a wider operating loss in the third quarter as higher costs and declining mail volumes offset modest parcel growth, keeping the Dutch delivery firm’s results under pressure despite a slight rise in revenue.
Heineken (AS:HEIN) laid out a fresh roadmap for 2030, promising stronger sales and leaner costs, with the Dutch brewer aiming to save up to €500 million annually through 2030 by sharpening its focus on 17 key markets and a few global labels.
