European Markets End Mostly Higher Amid Economic Optimism

Major European stock exchanges closed mostly higher on Thursday, buoyed by the announcement of a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom, which has significantly lifted market sentiment. In a parallel development, the Bank of England decided to lower interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, further easing economic concerns.

Key Performers and Market Movements

The DAX index saw a notable increase of 1.02%, with Heidelberg Materials leading the charge by surging 4.80%. The Euro Stoxx 50 and the CAC 40 also enjoyed gains, rising by 1.12% and 0.89% respectively, with Stellantis emerging as the top performer on both indices, skyrocketing by 5.11%. Conversely, the FTSE 100 experienced a slight decline of 0.32%, largely due to Airtel Africa's significant drop of 8.40%.

Currency Movements

At 5:34 pm CET, the euro was down by 0.21% against the dollar, trading at 1.12762. Meanwhile, the pound strengthened slightly against the greenback, adding 0.10% to reach 1.33060.