European stock markets showed resilience on Friday, maintaining steady performance while heading toward a remarkable eighth consecutive month of positive returns, driven by stronger-than-anticipated corporate earnings that helped ease investor concerns about trade policies and artificial intelligence impacts.
The STOXX 600 index, which tracks European markets across the continent, climbed 0.1% to reach 634.16 points by early morning trading. The index remained close to record territory, with mining companies leading the charge with gains of 1.7%.
This winning streak represents the longest period of monthly increases since the stretch from mid-2012 through 2013.
Throughout February, market participants grappled with worries that emerging artificial intelligence technologies might disrupt established business models and erode company profits, while also navigating uncertainty around trade policies following President Donald Trump’s implementation of new global tariffs.
Despite these challenges, investors found reassurance in the improving financial outlook across European companies, with positive reports from major firms including HSBC, Nestle, and Capgemini boosting market confidence.
Not all companies fared well in early trading. Delivery Hero, the online food delivery platform, saw its shares drop 5.2% after announcing annual gross merchandise value figures that fell short of analyst projections, highlighting ongoing competitive pressures and economic headwinds.
Banking sector stocks declined more than 0.4% as investors kept a close watch on the industry’s potential exposure to Market Financial Solutions (MFS), a mortgage financing company that recently entered a UK insolvency process.
