The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was up 0.34 percent to 636.62 as of 4:18 p.m. Throughout the session, the index has traded within a range of a 0.04 percent low and a 0.62 percent high.
On a sector basis, banks are leading the gains, up 1.65 percent, followed by industrial goods, which rose 1.10 percent.
The technology sector is underperforming, down 1.11 percent, while telecommunications recorded the second-weakest performance, also falling 1.11 percent.
Norwegian Air has reached an agreement to acquire Nordic Leisure Travel Group, whose portfolio includes brands such as Ving, Spies, Tjäreborg, Globetrotter, and Sunclass Airlines, in a deal valued at approximately SEK 7.9bn. The consideration consists of SEK 3.5bn in cash and 300m new shares in Norwegian, with a potential for an additional 30m shares. The combined group is expected to operate nearly 160 aircraft and serve approximately 30m customers annually. Shares in Norwegian fell 0.9 percent.
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk plans to soon apply for Chinese regulatory approval for its weight-loss drug Wegovy, according to CEO Mike Doustdar as reported by Reuters. The stock declined 1.6 percent.
De Beers could be sold within weeks, according to CEO Al Cook. Speaking at the Reuters NEXT Europe conference in London, he stated that the process has reached a mature stage after two years of negotiations. Anglo American put De Beers up for sale in May 2024 as part of a restructuring effort amid falling diamond prices and increased competition from synthetic diamonds. Anglo shares rose 0.1 percent.
Norwegian oil major Equinor presented an updated strategy aiming to increase production to 2.3m barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030, representing an increase of 150,000 barrels per day. The company intends to double its share buybacks in 2026 to $3bn and introduced a target range of $2bn to $4bn per year from 2027, contingent on energy prices and balance sheet strength. The stock fell 0.7 percent.
In analyst news, Deutsche Bank has upgraded Gea Group to buy from hold, sending the shares up 4.1 percent.
Handelsbanken has raised its recommendation for Nokian Tyres by two notches to buy from sell. The stock climbed 4.4 percent.
| Index | Last | Today, % | YTD, % | Time |
| Stoxx 600 | 636.65 | 0.35% | 7.51% | 16:19:00 |
| FTSE 100 | 10,513.41 | 0.79% | 5.86% | 16:19:08 |
| DAX | 24,915.07 | 0.08% | 1.73% | 16:19:10 |
| CAC 40 | 8,458.35 | 0.89% | 3.79% | 16:19:00 |
| Sector Performance Stoxx 600: | ||||
| Automobiles & Parts | 463.51 | -0.96% | -11.70% | 16:19:00 |
| Banks | 392.30 | 1.67% | 10.41% | 16:19:00 |
| Basic Resources | 865.15 | 0.57% | 29.87% | 16:19:00 |
| Chemicals | 1,228.91 | 0.32% | 10.97% | 16:19:00 |
| Construction & Materials | 872.24 | 0.54% | 2.85% | 16:19:00 |
| Oil & Gas | 505.66 | -0.01% | 24.97% | 16:19:00 |
| Financial Services | 929.58 | 0.37% | 3.35% | 16:19:00 |
| Food & Beverage | 634.16 | 0.01% | 1.85% | 16:19:00 |
| Industrial Goods | 1,156.21 | 1.10% | 8.23% | 16:19:00 |
| Insurance | 508.73 | 0.80% | -0.33% | 16:19:00 |
| Media | 368.59 | 0.23% | -7.59% | 16:19:00 |
| Health Care | 1,101.34 | -0.63% | -3.57% | 16:19:00 |
| Technology | 1,043.71 | -1.14% | 24.76% | 16:19:00 |
| Telecommunications | 309.15 | -1.09% | 20.82% | 16:19:00 |
| Utilities | 549.99 | 0.21% | 12.30% | 16:19:00 |
| Personal & Household Goods | 1,007.39 | 0.79% | -6.15% | 16:19:00 |
| Retail | 486.03 | -0.75% | -0.05% | 16:19:00 |
| Travel & Leisure | 286.50 | 0.33% | 2.14% | 16:19:00 |
| Real Estate | 124.82 | 0.07% | -1.20% | 16:19:00 |
| Source: Factset |
