Europe: Luxury rebound in France cushions European stock losses amid turmoil

European stocks slipped on Tuesday (Oct 7), dragged down by healthcare and bank shares, while a luxury-led rebound in France kept regional losses in check after Monday’s political upheaval.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed 0.2 per cent lower, coming off its record highs hit in the previous session.

Spanish stocks also cooled 0.2 per cent, after hitting a near 18-year high on Friday.

French blue-chip stocks gave up gains to close flat after a sharp sell-off on Monday triggered by Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s abrupt resignation.

Warning over French budget

The outgoing leader began two days of last-ditch talks to try to form a new government, as analysts warned that the political chaos could derail the 2026 budget.

President Emmanuel Macron faced mounting calls to resign or call a snap election, amid a crisis that has seen five prime ministers exit in under two years.

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“For financial markets, what really matters is the budget and how that’s going to play out,” said Anthi Tsouvali, multi-asset strategist at UBS Global Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Office.

“It’s a situation where we might not have a government for a while, and it will create a lot of volatility.”

France’s benchmark index remains Europe’s worst performer this year, up 8 per cent, a stark contrast to double-digit gains elsewhere, underscoring the market’s unease over a fragmented parliament and rising instability since Macron’s 2022 re-election.

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Meanwhile, the outlook for European corporate health has improved slightly, the latest earnings forecasts showed, though the expected results would still be the worst quarterly performance since the first quarter of 2024.

Healthcare stocks among biggest drags

The luxury sector jumped 1.8 per cent, as designer debuts among fashion houses and a push for affordability gave investors hope that the sector was set for a gradual comeback.

Morgan Stanley upgraded its rating on luxury giants LVMH and Kering to “overweight” from “equal weight”, sending their shares up 3.6 per cent and 5.7 per cent, respectively.

Heavyweight healthcare stocks were among the biggest drags in Europe, down 0.4 per cent as Denmark’s Novo Nordisk lost 2.8 per cent after a US court rejected its challenge to Medicare’s drug price negotiation programme.

Germany’s Bayer fell 2 per cent, with traders pointing to a Goldman Sachs note that said it expects third-quarter earnings to come below estimates.

Languishing at the bottom of the Stoxx 600 was B&M, which dropped 7.8 per cent after the discount retailer forecast a 28 per cent plunge in first-half core earnings and lower annual profit.

Oil and gas got a boost with a 1.5 per cent gain in Shell after the energy major flagged higher LNG production and better gas trading results for the third quarter.

On the data front, British house prices rose by a slower-than-expected 1.3 per cent in the 12 months to September, while German industrial orders fell for a fourth straight month in August.

Sweden’s Skanska jumped 6.7 per cent after Jefferies upgraded its rating on the builder to “buy” from “hold” while downgrading French cable maker Nexans to “hold” from “buy”, sending its shares down 4.9 per cent. REUTERS