European equities traded modestly higher on Thursday as investors monitored developments from the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in Beijing, while continued enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence provided further support to technology stocks.
By 07:05 GMT, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index had gained 0.4%. Germany’s DAX advanced 1.1%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.6%, while the UK’s FTSE 100 traded broadly flat.
Technology shares remained among the strongest performers in Europe, following the positive momentum seen on Wall Street during the previous session. Companies including ASML (EU:ASML) and STMicroelectronics (BIT:STMMI) both moved higher as investor appetite for AI-related stocks continued to strengthen.
The first round of discussions between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping concluded during the opening phase of their two-day summit. According to Chinese state media, Xi said negotiations — particularly on trade — were progressing, although he also warned that disagreements over Taiwan could negatively affect relations between the two countries.
Markets were also watching closely for any signs of diplomatic discussions linked to the conflict involving Iran. Some analysts believe Trump may attempt to encourage China, one of the largest importers of Iranian crude oil, to support efforts aimed at securing a longer-term peace arrangement, although uncertainty remains over whether Beijing would be willing to take on such a role.
At the same time, investors continue to assess the economic risks associated with the prolonged disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, the key shipping route off Iran’s southern coast through which around 20% of global oil supply passes.
Oil prices extended recent gains, with Brent crude trading above $105 per barrel compared with levels near $70 before the conflict escalated. The sharp rise in energy prices has increased concerns about renewed inflationary pressure globally, particularly after recent U.S. consumer and producer inflation data.
Analysts at Morgan Stanley said in a note that “Higher energy prices come with softer growth and higher inflation.”
European corporate earnings also remained in focus. Shares of Burberry (LSE:BRBY) fell after the luxury group announced it would not pay a dividend and warned about ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty heading into fiscal 2027.
Meanwhile, shares of Allegro moved higher after the company upgraded guidance for its international business operations.
