European Stocks Down, Earnings in Focus

2026-07-23 12:33 By Joana Taborda 1 min. read

European stocks extended their losses on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 falling 1.1% and the STOXX 600 down 0.9%, as investors digested a fresh batch of corporate earnings while surging oil prices and escalating hostilities in the Middle East continued to weigh on sentiment.

As expected, the ECB left interest rates unchanged.

STMicroelectronics tumbled more than 16%, making it the worst performer in the STOXX 600 after missing profit expectations.

Nestlé dropped 7% after announcing an agreement to sell its stake in its Waters business to private equity firm Platinum Equity.

UniCredit declined 4.4% despite reporting a 6.6% year-on-year increase in revenue and reaffirming its goal of acquiring Commerzbank in the fourth quarter.

BNP Paribas also fell 2.1%, despite posting better-than-expected profit and revenue.

On the upside, TotalEnergies gained 2.9% after reporting its strongest quarterly profit in three years, while Dassault Aviation surged 8.3% following stronger first-half earnings.



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European Stocks Down, Earnings in Focus
European stocks extended their losses on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 falling 1.1% and the STOXX 600 down 0.9%, as investors digested a fresh batch of corporate earnings while surging oil prices and escalating hostilities in the Middle East continued to weigh on sentiment. As expected, the ECB left interest rates unchanged. STMicroelectronics tumbled more than 16%, making it the worst performer in the STOXX 600 after missing profit expectations. Nestlé dropped 7% after announcing an agreement to sell its stake in its Waters business to private equity firm Platinum Equity. UniCredit declined 4.4% despite reporting a 6.6% year-on-year increase in revenue and reaffirming its goal of acquiring Commerzbank in the fourth quarter. BNP Paribas also fell 2.1%, despite posting better-than-expected profit and revenue. On the upside, TotalEnergies gained 2.9% after reporting its strongest quarterly profit in three years, while Dassault Aviation surged 8.3% following stronger first-half earnings.
2026-07-23
European Stocks Lower
European stocks traded lower on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 both falling 0.8% as rising oil prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East weighed on sentiment. The US carried out strikes on Iran for a 12th consecutive day, while the Houthis claimed attacks on two Saudi oil tankers. Investors were also digesting a fresh round of corporate earnings while awaiting the ECB's monetary policy decision. BNP Paribas fell 1.2% despite reporting better-than-expected profit and revenue. UniCredit decreased 1.7% even after reporting a 6.6% yoy increase in revenues and saying it is aiming to acquire Commerzbank in Q4. Nestle tumbled more than 6%, after the company said it struck a deal to sell half of its waters business to private equity group Platinum Equity. In contrast, Total Energies added 1.8% after reporting its best quarterly profit in 3 years and Dassault Aviation jumped nearly 8% to top the STOXX 600 after reporting higher first-half earnings.
2026-07-23
European Shares Set to Open Lower
European equity markets were set to open lower on Thursday, halting a two-day winning streak as investors remained cautious amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and looked ahead to the European Central Bank's policy decision later today. Oil prices climbed to a fresh six-week high after President Trump warned of strikes on Iranian infrastructure if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is attacked, while Iran vowed retaliation. Iran-backed Houthi militants also targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, fueling fears of broader supply disruptions. Meanwhile, the ECB is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged as officials assess the fallout from the intensifying Middle East conflict. In corporate news, STMicroelectronics reported quarterly profit and sales guidance below expectations but projected revenue growth later this year on strong AI data center demand. In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures were down 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively.
2026-07-23