European stock markets were in mixed territory on Friday after hitting record highs earlier this week.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was little changed at 11:50 a.m. London time, with major bourses trading mixed during late morning deals. France’s CAC 40 was up 0.4%, while London’s FTSE 100 and the German Dax were both down around 0.2%.
Stocks in the region hit record highs on Thursday, as investors reacted to a flurry of corporate earnings and the prospect of a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced peace talks were set to begin after he spoke with his Ukrainian and Russian counterparts.
Corporate earnings remain in focus in Europe on Friday. British lender NatWest reported its full-year earnings, beating estimates on profit and revenues. The company, which is still partly owned by the state, said that the U.K. government had reduced its stake in the bank from 7.98% to 6.98%. Shares were 3% lower during morning deals.
Haute couture fashion house Hermes also reported better-than-expected earnings on Friday. Its shares moved 0.7% higher by 11:27 a.m. London time.
Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Friday, after Wall Street rose overnight as President Donald Trump signed a reciprocal tariffs plan, but did not enact the levies immediately.
Mainland China’s CSI 300 Index rose 0.86%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index surged 3.06%, extending its gains from the previous session.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 ended the day 0.79% lower at 39,149.43, while the broader Topix index lost 0.23% to close at 2,759.21.
