European Stocks Close Week Lower

2026-06-26 15:53 By Andre Joaquim 1 min. read

European stocks closed firmly lower on Friday amid fresh pressure from banks, auto producers, and companies in the AI infrastructure sector.

The Euro STOXX 50 fell 0.9% to 6,212, a 1.2% drop on the week, and the STOXX Europe 600 fell 0.7% to 635.5, unchanged since last Friday.

Chip producers in North America reversed their rally stemmed from Micron's strong guidance to reflect fresh skepticism on the AI trade.

This dented chip producer Infineon with a 4.3% decline and ASML with a 1% drop, while Siemens Energy, which has large exposure to data center power operations, slide 5.6%.

Meanwhile, banks dropped sharply despite further expectations that the ECB may hold off from delivering another rate hike this year after oil prices dropped further.

Deutsche Bank dropped 2.7% while BNP Paribas and BBVA fell nearly 2%.

Lastly, Volkswagen slipped 3.9% after reports indicated it could cut up to 100,000 jobs and close four factories in its largest overhaul yet.



News Stream
European Stocks Close Week Lower
European stocks closed firmly lower on Friday amid fresh pressure from banks, auto producers, and companies in the AI infrastructure sector. The Euro STOXX 50 fell 0.9% to 6,212, a 1.2% drop on the week, and the STOXX Europe 600 fell 0.7% to 635.5, unchanged since last Friday. Chip producers in North America reversed their rally stemmed from Micron's strong guidance to reflect fresh skepticism on the AI trade. This dented chip producer Infineon with a 4.3% decline and ASML with a 1% drop, while Siemens Energy, which has large exposure to data center power operations, slide 5.6%. Meanwhile, banks dropped sharply despite further expectations that the ECB may hold off from delivering another rate hike this year after oil prices dropped further. Deutsche Bank dropped 2.7% while BNP Paribas and BBVA fell nearly 2%. Lastly, Volkswagen slipped 3.9% after reports indicated it could cut up to 100,000 jobs and close four factories in its largest overhaul yet.
2026-06-26
European Stocks Lower as Tech Weighs
European stocks traded lower on Friday, with the STOXX 50 slipping 0.2% and the STOXX 600 declining 0.5%, as a renewed sell-off in technology stocks and mounting concerns over elevated AI-related valuations weighed on global market sentiment. Reports that both Apple and Microsoft plan to raise prices for their products, while OpenAI is considering delaying its IPO until 2027, added to investor caution. The technology sector was among the worst performers, with ASML Holding (-1.3%), Infineon Technologies (-3.3%), and STMicroelectronics (-3.3%) posting notable losses. Elsewhere, Siemens Energy (-2.9%), Leonardo (-2.0%), and Safran (-1.3%) also traded lower. In contrast, Hermes (+1.2%), Unilever (+0.6%), and Iberdrola (+0.7%) booked gains, providing some support to the broader market. For the week so far, the STOXX 50 is down 0.3%, while the STOXX 600 remains up 0.7%.
2026-06-26
European Stocks Head for Lower Open
European equity markets were set to open lower on Friday, tracking losses across global markets as the selloff in technology stocks intensified amid persistent concerns over heavy spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure. Sentiment was also dampened by reports that OpenAI may postpone its initial public offering until 2027. Meanwhile, oil prices continued to retreat to pre-war levels as progress in US-Iran peace efforts eased inflation concerns, though expectations that the US Federal Reserve will still raise interest rates later this year continued to weigh on equities. In Europe, investors will focus on Eurozone consumer inflation expectations, Italian business and consumer confidence, and French jobless claims data. No major corporate earnings are scheduled. In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures were down 0.8% and 0.7%, respectively.
2026-06-26