PARIS (Reuters) – European stock markets opened higher on Wednesday, with investors welcoming several announcements from technology companies.
In Paris, the CAC 40 advanced 0.53% to 7,427.31 points around 08:35 GMT. In Frankfurt, the Dax gained 1.02%, compared to 0.79% for the FTSE in London.
The Dutch AEX index gains 1.6% and hits a two-year high after ASML’s quarterly results.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index takes 0.79%, the EuroStoxx 50 1.4% and the Stoxx 600 0.81%.
New York index futures suggest Wall Street opening higher, with the Dow Jones rising 0.12%, compared to 0.37% for the Standard & Poor’s 500 and 0.59% for the Nasdaq.
The positive trend in Europe is notably driven by the lithographic machine manufacturer ASML, which published better than expected results.
ASML gained 6.15% and led the tech sector in its wake, which increased by 3.43% at the top of the Stoxx 600 sectors.
SAP takes 7.31% after unveiling on Tuesday a restructuring program of two billion euros for 2024 in addition to its results.
Investors are also paying attention to preliminary PMI indicators for January, with the indicator for the Eurozone due at 9:00 GMT.
French and German indicators have already shown that activity continues to decline in the bloc’s two main economies.
(Written by Corentin Chappron, edited by Blandine Hénault)
Copyright © 2024 Thomson Reuters
I have over 8 years of experience working in the news industry. I have worked as a reporter, editor, and now managing editor at 247 News Agency. I am responsible for the day-to-day operations of the news website and overseeing all of the content that is published. I also write a column for the website, covering mostly market news.