European shares surge on earnings optimism
Earnings season, in full swing, offered some relief for investors concerned about the impact of trade uncertainty on corporate performance. Diageo gained 4.9% after the world's biggest spirits maker forecast flat 2026 sales despite US tariffs and upped its cost-savings target.
The stock boosted the food & beverage index by 1.2%, making it the day's top performing sector. German chipmaker Infineon gained 4.6% after it slightly raised its full-year profit outlook and noted the start of a global semiconductor market recovery despite lingering tariff concerns.
BP said it will review how best to develop and monetise oil and gas production assets and consider more cost cuts to boost shareholder returns after beating second-quarter profit expectations, which sent its shares up 2.8%. 'The market has learned to adjust to the reality of tariffs quite well,' said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group.
This earnings season is the first to reveal the corporate health impact from US President Donald Trump's tariff-fueled trade war. Following the EU-US trade deal, analysts have raised their second-quarter earnings growth estimates .
Following a solid performance in the first half of the year, analysts have highlighted that sentiment towards US stocks has been improving over European names, with the STOXX 600 now underperforming the US S&P 500.
'The strength in the US is returning quite dramatically,' Beauchamp said. 'But we're still saying that there are plenty of interesting opportunities in Europe as you've good-quality companies with earnings growth still there. It may be a little bit beaten down, but there is still enough to like about Europe.'
Also helping the mood globally were expectations that the US Federal Reserve will lower interest rates faster than previously expected following soft US nonfarm payrolls data last week.
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