European equities traded mostly higher on Monday as concerns around the technology sector subsided and a series of merger-and-acquisition headlines helped buoy investor confidence.
The macroeconomic calendar was relatively quiet, though the latest KPMG/REC Report on Jobs showed that permanent job placements in the U.K. fell again in January amid subdued demand and employer worries over costs. That said, the rate of decline slowed to its mildest pace in 18 months, offering a small note of reassurance.
By mid-morning, the U.K.’s FTSE 100 was down 0.2%, while France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.1% and Germany’s DAX gained 0.5%.
Italy’s banking sector provided notable upside, with UniCredit (BIT:UCG) jumping after posting a record net profit of €10.6 billion for 2025.
In the technology space, STMicroelectronics (BIT:STMMI) surged after announcing an expanded strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services.
Deal news also drove sharp moves elsewhere. Shares in InPost (EU:INPST) rallied strongly after a consortium led by Advent, alongside FedEx, agreed to acquire the Polish parcel locker group at €15.60 per share.
In the healthcare sector, Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) climbed after U.S. telehealth group Hims & Hers said it would withdraw its copycat weight-loss pill from the market.
Not all stocks joined the rally, however. NatWest (LSE:NWG) shares moved lower after the British lender announced a deal to acquire private equity-backed wealth manager Evelyn Partners.
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