European Stocks Extend Record Highs

2026-01-02 16:58 By Andre Joaquim 1 min. read

European stocks closed sharply higher at new records on the first session of the year, supported by the tech and industrial sectors as markets assessed how the macroeconomic backdrop will impact corporate conditions this year.

The Eurozone's STOXX 50 jumped 0.9% to 5,844 and the pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.6% to 596.

ASML surged nearly 7% on the session after receiving upgrades from major asset managers and support from positive chip-producer IPOs in Asia.

Car manufacturers also advanced, with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen gaining more than 3%, while Safran and Airbus gained 3% to set the pace for the aerospace sector, tracking the pace for defense contractors.

The gains extended on the sharp increase for European equities last year, supported by higher deficit spending in Germany, a pivot away from US assets hallway through the year, and rate cuts by the ECB.



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