European stocks were mixed on Wednesday as investors balanced a busy earnings calendar with fresh developments on trade relations between the United States and China.
U.K. equities outperformed after the British pound weakened following softer-than-expected inflation data. According to the Office for National Statistics, U.K. consumer prices rose 3.8% year on year in September, matching August’s growth rate but coming in below the 4.0% forecast.
Another report showed input prices fell unexpectedly by 0.1%, versus an expected 0.3% increase, while output prices were flat, missing estimates for a 0.2% rise.
Against this backdrop, the FTSE 100 gained 1.0%, the DAX slipped 0.1%, and the CAC 40 fell 0.3%.
On the corporate front, shares of Adidas (TG:ADS) declined despite strong third-quarter results and an increased annual operating profit forecast. Luxury group Hermès International S.A. (EU:RMS) also dropped after signaling only a slight improvement in Chinese demand, even as quarterly sales rose 9.6%. Beauty giant L’Oréal S.A. (EU:OR) moved sharply lower after missing growth expectations.
Paint and coatings maker Akzo Nobel N.V. (EU:AKZA) slipped following a third-quarter loss, and UniCredit S.p.A. (BIT:UCG) dipped despite higher profit and revenue.
In contrast, Ipsen (EU:IPN) soared after lifting its outlook on the back of better-than-expected results. Shares of Barclays (LSE:BARC) jumped after the bank announced a surprise £500 million ($670 million) buyback and raised its performance targets.
Meanwhile, Heineken N.V. (EU:HEIA) traded higher despite reporting a steep decline in beer sales during the third quarter.
The day’s mixed market moves reflect both global trade uncertainty and selective optimism tied to individual earnings beats.
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