(RTTNews) – European stocks closed on a mixed note for a second straight session, as investors stayed cautious on Wednesday, digesting some corporate news, U.S. economic data and earnings updates from major U.S. lenders, in addition to following the developments on the geopolitical front.
The focus was also on an upcoming meeting between U.S., Greenlandic and Danish officials to discuss the Arctic island’s future.
Encouraging export data from China aided sentiment. China’s export growth in December exceeded market expectations, resulting in the country’s trade surplus rising to a record $1.19 trillion in 2025, even as imports rebounded at their fastest pace in three months.
Meanwhile, investors looked ahead to an upcoming meeting between U.S., Greenlandic and Danish officials to discuss the Arctic island’s future.
Markets also awaited the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the reciprocal tariff imposed by President Donald Trump.
The pan European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.17%. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 closed up by 0.34%. Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 ended lower by 0.44% and 0.19%, respectively, while Switzerland’s SMI closed 0.75% up.
Among other markets in Europe, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Norway and Russia ended higher.
Czech Republic, Poland and Turkiye closed weak, while Austria, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden ended flat.
Miners moved higher in the UK market as metal prices surged higher. Glencore gained about 3%, Rio Tinto climbed 2.3%, Anglo American Plc advanced 1.7%, Antofagasta moved up 1.3%, and Endeavour Mining closed up by 1.1%.
Marks & Spencer, AstraZeneca, Metlen Energy & Metals and SSE gained 2 to 2.75%. BT Group, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, DCC, St. James’s Place, Mondia, Diageo and Croda International also moved up sharply.
BP tumbled earlier in the session after the energy giant warned it would take an impairment charge of between $4bn and $5bn in the fourth quarter. However, the stock recovered past noon and eventually ended the day with a gain of 1.5%.
Pearson tumbled nearly 10% after reporting an 8% drop in sales growth in the fourth quarter.
The Sage Group lost 5%, while Berkeley Group Holdings, ICG, Barratt Redrow, Ashtead Group, Rolls-Royce Holdings, Persimmon, Melrose Industries, Babcock International, JD Sports Fashion, Entain and BAE Systems ended down by 1.6 to 2.7%.
Vistry Group shares ended down by about 9% despite saying 2025 profit should meet expectations, citing market uncertainty and delayed deals. The company confirmed adjusted pre-tax profits were on track to come in around £270m, up from last year’s £263.5m and in line with expectations.
In the German market, Bayer rallied 7% after outlining plans to return its pharmaceuticals business to mid-single-digit percentage growth by 2027. The company expects to achieve an operating margin of around 30% by 2030.
RWE gained about 2.3%. The company has been named among the developers awarded guaranteed electricity price contracts in the UK’s latest offshore wind auction.
Brenntag surged 2.7%. BMW, BASF, Henkel, Munich RE, Daimler Truck Holding, Deutsche Boerse, Volkswagen, E.ON and Mercedes-Benz also posted strong gains.
Fresenius Medical Care dropped 6.5%. Zalando, SAP, Siemens Energy, Infineon, Vonovia, Airbus, Merck and Adidas ended lower by 1 to 3.5%.
TP, Orange, Sanofi, Air Liquide, Edenred, Engie, Bouygues, ArcelorMittal, Societe Generale and TotalEnergies were among the major gainers in the French market.
Vinci gained nearly 1% The company said it received a contract valued at 237 million euros ($276 million) from Syctom to renovate a waste-treatment plant near Paris.
Schneider Electric closed down by about 2.7%. Danone, Accor, Airbus, Safran, LVMH, Eurofins Scientific, STMicroElectronics and Dassault Systemes lost 1 to 2%.
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