European bourses ended higher this week, with the STOXX 600 advancing as investors digested better-than-expected corporate earnings and cooler US inflation.
UK-listed financials participated, aided by firmer gilt yields and a stronger growth backdrop at home following the ONS’s GDP surprises.
Bank and insurer shares benefited from the prospect of lower funding costs alongside stable asset quality, while brokers noted renewed interest from international investors in UK valuation discounts.
The risk-on tone also supported cyclicals, although defensives lagged.
For UK indices, participation in a broader European rally is important because flows into regional ETFs and indices can amplify moves in London.
Into next week, attention will turn to UK labour and inflation data as well as central-bank rhetoric that could recalibrate rate paths.
Geopolitical headlines around US-Russia talks added an unpredictable overlay to defence names.
Strategists warn that while breadth has improved, positioning remains sensitive to any downside data shock, particularly in China-linked demand that affects miners.
Nonetheless, with more than half of European companies beating estimates, the earnings season has so far offered fundamental support for equity multiples even as macro growth slows.
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