European Stocks Start 2025 on a Positive Note
European stock markets started 2025 on a positive note on Thursday.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was up 0.27% as of 8:05 a.m. London time.
All regional bourses reopened after the New Year holiday, with markets that opened on New Year’s Eve closing higher.
There were no earnings or major data releases on Thursday.
Asian stocks traded mixed overnight, with Chinese stocks leading losses as several major markets resumed trading after the New Year holiday.
U.S. stock futures were slightly higher as trading began for 2025. Traders are hoping the market can regain the momentum that has helped it post two straight years of annual gains above 20%.
Although U.S. stocks fell in weak trading in the final days of 2024, the year still produced solid gains; the S&P 500 surged 23% last year, while the 30-stock Dow gained nearly 13%. Boosted by enthusiasm around artificial intelligence and interest rate cuts, the Nasdaq Composite outperformed, rising 29%.
Investors on Thursday were likely assessing the impact of a deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans that is being investigated as a possible terrorist act.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was possible the suspect who drove a truck into a crowd was not “fully responsible” for the incident, which killed at least 15 people.
Source: CNBC
