26.06.202516:09:41UTC+00European Stocks Close Mixed

European stocks presented a mixed performance on Thursday, maintaining the downward trend from the previous day as investors continued to evaluate the fiscal and monetary policy prospects for the European Union's major economies. The STOXX 50 decreased by 0.2%, settling at 5,244, while the pan-European STOXX 600 recorded a modest increase of 0.1%, reaching 538. The defense sector extended its gains, buoyed by investor optimism following the decision by NATO countries to elevate defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. This optimism propelled stocks in companies such as BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, Leonardo, Thales, and Airbus, which saw their shares rise between 7% and 2.7%. Simultaneously, miners listed in London and Switzerland experienced gains amid a robust market session for base and ferrous metals, with gains of approximately 5% for Rio Tinto, Glencore, and Anglo American. Conversely, the tech sector experienced declines, highlighted by a 2.5% drop in ASML’s shares following a downgrade from analysts. On the economic data front, Germany's GfK Consumer Climate Indicator indicated a slight decrease for July.