On Thursday, the STOXX 600, a key European index, reached a new peak, securing gains for another quarter.
JD Sports, a major retailer, saw its biggest surge in over four years, thanks to confirming its profit outlook.
The index climbed 0.18% to 512.67 points, closing the week strong despite minor fluctuations. This marked its second quarter of growth, with a notable 7% rise.
Enthusiasm about potential rate cuts and a tech stock rally, especially in artificial intelligence, fueled this increase.
Moreover, March brought the index’s fifth monthly gain, up 3.7%.
Nadege Duffose from Canada noted exceptional performance in cyclical sectors like industry and banking. This reflects reduced recession fears and anticipation of central bank strategy shifts.
The industrial sector and Eurozone banks jumped 11% and 17.7%, respectively, in the first quarter.
Now, the market awaits the US PCE price index data, which could influence future Federal Reserve rate decisions and affect global central bank policies.
JD Sports led the STOXX 600 with a 15.6% rise after aligning its future profit expectations with current forecasts. Adidas also benefited, with its shares climbing 1.1%.
Retail-led sector gains are up 1.4%.
Regional indices saw varied movement: London’s Financial Times index rose 0.26% to 7,952.62 points.
Frankfurt’s DAX increased slightly by 0.08% to 18,492.49 points. Paris’s CAC-40 inched up by 0.01% to 8,205.81 points.
Milan’s Ftse/Mib fell slightly by 0.03% to 34,750.35 points. Madrid’s Ibex-35 dropped by 0.33% to 11,074.60 points. Lisbon’s PSI20 went up by 0.06% to 6,280.50 points.
These movements highlight how interconnected global and local market sentiments are, influenced by broader economic indicators and specific company performances.