European Stocks Extend Gains
The STOXX 50 rose 0.5% and the STOXX 600 gained 0.3% on Friday, marking a second consecutive session of increases and tracking global optimism after the Federal Reserve cut the fed funds rate and struck a less hawkish tone than expected.
Bank stocks were among the top performers: BNP Paribas climbed 1.4% after announcing it is in exclusive talks to sell its 67% stake in its Moroccan subsidiary BMCI to Holmarcom Group, while HSBC Holdings (+1.8%), UBS (+4.4%), and Barclays (+1.3%) also advanced.
In the retail sector, Adidas (+2.4%) and Puma (+4.5%) recorded solid gains following Lululemon Athletica’s upgraded annual profit forecast. For the week, the STOXX 50 is up 0.5% and the STOXX 600 has risen 0.4%.
Source: Tradingeconomics.com