European markets finished the session mixed on Friday as traders parsed through several earnings reports and economic data to end the week.
Pan-European Stoxx 600 Temporarily traded up around 0.2% for the day. Most sectors were in positive territory, but the region’s leading stocks were mixed.
On Friday, European companies reported earnings BASF, Swiss Re, Holcim, IAGAnd Amadeus.
Reinsurance firm Swiss Re on Friday reported a profit of $4.8 billion for 2025, up 47% from a year earlier and the “highest level” in its history, CEO Andreas Berger said.
The company cited “disciplined underwriting, strong investment returns and less large loss activity outside of the first quarter” for its results. It also announced plans for a $1.5 billion share buyback plan. Its shares rose 3.8% in Friday’s session.
BarclaysLondon-listed shares fell 4.5% on the day after reports that the UK lender had a £600 million ($809 million) exposure to mortgage provider Market Financial Solutions.
Santander London-headquartered MFS, which specializes in bridge loans and buy-to-let mortgages, is said to have provided the financing. Santander was down 0.4%. MFS entered insolvency proceedings in a UK court earlier this week.
On the economic data front, Germany, France and Spain released inflation data, along with unemployment figures from Germany and France and UK housing prices.
In the UK, all eyes were on the parliamentary by-election in Gorton and Denton, Greater Manchester, where the Green Party won and overthrew a large majority for the ruling party, Labour.
Reform UK came in second, while Labor fell to third, a significant setback for Prime Minister Keir Stormer.
US stock futures pulled back overnight Nvidia’s Software stocks, including recent results, have failed to rally the broader market Salesforce And Microsoft. Stateside equities were last seen in negative territory during morning trading on Friday.
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Friday.
(tags to translate) State Street SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF
