European shares kicked off the week on a strong note, driven by a decline in bond yields.
Investors were closely monitoring crucial inflation data while Siemens Energy shares continued to recover amid ongoing discussions concerning project-related guarantees.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index surged by 0.6% as of 0943 GMT, rebounding from a recent 4% dip over the past two weeks.
Equity markets received a boost as euro area sovereign bond yields decreased. Market participants believed that the markets had largely factored in a scenario of persistently low interest rates.
Inflation data from Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, showed a moderation in October.
Meanwhile, Spain’s 12-month inflation remained unchanged at 3.5% compared to the previous month.
Additional data revealed that the German economy contracted slightly in the third quarter.
The largest economy in Europe continued to grapple with weak purchasing power and elevated interest rates.
Analysts at Commerzbank noted that the German economy might experience further contraction in the coming months due to substantial rate hikes by the European Central Bank (ECB) and Western central banks, while consumer spending was not expected to rebound significantly.
The German DAX index gained 0.5% in response to the positive sentiment.
Throughout the week, investors were closely monitoring policy announcements from Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
European inflation data was also in focus, particularly after the ECB’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged the previous week.
The healthcare sector emerged as a top performer, with a 0.9% increase. Novo Nordisk and Sanofi both posted gains of over 2%, with Sanofi recovering from a previous announcement about abandoning its 2025 profit target.
Swedish Orphan Biovitrum gained 4.8% after surpassing third-quarter earnings expectations.
Siemens Energy led the STOXX 600 with a 9.2% surge. Chairman Joe Kaeser confirmed that the company did not require state funding, and discussions with Berlin regarding project-related guarantees were ongoing.
Dassault Systemes rose 2.1% following an upgrade by JP Morgan from “underweight” to “overweight” due to improved license sales and significant deals.
On the downside, ArcelorMittal experienced a 5% drop after confirming discussions about nationalizing its Kazakh coal mine, where a tragic fire over the weekend claimed at least 45 lives.