European stock indexes are moving in different directions on Friday after the release of the British, German and euro zone statistics as well as the publication of the quarterly results of some companies.
The Stoxx Europe 600 composite index of the region’s biggest companies gained 0.1% to 467.97 points as of 12:35 p.m. ET.
France’s CAC 40 rose 0.2% during the session, Britain’s FTSE 100 gained 0.4% and Italy’s FTSE MIB gained 0.2%. Germany’s DAX and Spain’s IBEX 35 lost 0.2%.
The U.K. Consumer Sentiment Index rose to a fourteen-month high in April (since February 2022) to minus 30 points from minus 36 points in March, according to data from GfK NOP Ltd. Analysts polled by Trading Economics had on average predicted an increase to just minus 35 points.
Meanwhile, retail sales in the country last month fell 0.9% from February, official statistics showed. Analysts on average expected a less significant decline of 0.5%.
In turn, the composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) in the euro area in April reached the highest since May 2022. According to preliminary data, this month it was 54.4 points against 53.7 points in March, as expected by the market. In Germany the index rose to 53.9 points from 52.6 points in the previous month, expected 52.7 points.
Thanks to higher prices and strong demand, German automaker Mercedes-Benz posted an adjusted sales margin of 14.8% in the first quarter, above the consensus forecast. Its shares are up 1.4 percent.
Porsche and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, another German carmaker, are up 0.3% and 0.1%, respectively.
The capitalization of the German SAP SE increases by 0.1%. The world’s largest maker of business management software increased revenue by 10% in the first quarter.
Despite the decline in oil prices, oil companies’ securities rose in price, including TotalEnergies – by 0.6%, BP Plc (SPB: BP) – by 0.1% and Shell – by 0.5%.
Swiss construction materials maker Holcim Ltd. raised its forecast for organic net sales growth in 2023 to more than 6% from 3-5%, but its shares are down 1%.
Tele2 AB stock quotes are losing 2.3%. The Swedish telecoms company cut its net profit to 850 million kronor ($82.4 million) from 2.47 billion kronor a year earlier, worse than the consensus forecast.
Italian luxury clothing and accessories maker Salvatore Ferragamo cut its revenues 6.5% to €277.95 million in January-March. The company’s capitalization decreased by 4.8%.
