#european-markets

#european-markets

European markets have entered the final full week of 2025 on a largely tepid tone with many easing back ahead of a shortened week that looks likely to see lower volume and lower volatility. Coming off the back of a period that has seen a raft of big-ticket, market-moving events, traders are expecting things to calm down towards year-end. Today's notable release in Europe saw UK GDP confirmed at 0.1% for the third quarter. This lays the groundwork for tomorrow's US GDP release.

The Japanese Yen has enjoyed a sharp bout of buying pressure this morning, as traders react to commentary from the Finance Minister who claimed she has a "free hand" in addressing the excessive currency volatility. Coming as USDJPY approached 158, we are trading at levels that have previously seen the government intervene in a bid to stem selling pressure for the yen.

That comes despite widespread optimism over US-China trade negotiations, which signal the potential for a breakthrough ahead of Trump's meeting with Xi later in the week. In Europe, this morning has seen a German Ifo business climate survey that brought an improved headline figure of 88.4, while the expectations metric rose to the highest level since Feb 2022. However, despite optimism over future business conditions, the worsening of current conditions (85.3) highlights a perception of a struggling economy that many hope will get better.

European markets opened higher on Wednesday, supported by a rebound in SAP and growing investor optimism ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision later in the day. However, the market could remain at risk as investors could remain cautious. SAP led gains in the index, advancing nearly 4% in early trading after upbeat management commentary helped allay recent concerns over its cloud segment.

LVMH Moët Hennessy is one of the most premier plays in the global luxury brand market, featuring brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, and Tiffany.

The biggest mistake we see is overthinking," explains Sarah Mitchell, CEO of EcoWrap, whose biodegradable packaging solutions now serve clients in 12 European countries. "We spent six months researching every possible regulation and requirement, when we could have started with one country and learned as we went.

Since launching in February 2024, umob has experienced strong growth domestically and expanded into key European markets, including Germany, France, and Spain.

European stock markets are opening in the red, with London’s FTSE 100 down by 0.5% and Germany’s DAX dropping nearly 1% amid geopolitical tensions.

Podbike's electric Frikar, a dome-shaped e-bike, provides weather protection and aims for a broader EU market, with new launches targeting Switzerland, Belgium, and France in 2025.

Hedge funds exhibited the largest sell-off of European shares in a decade, prompted by trade tariff concerns and the euro's strength diminishing exports.