European markets opened the week in positive territory, with both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 rising 0.5%, rebounding from sharp losses on Friday. Sentiment improved as concerns over US banking credit eased. Investor confidence was further supported by reports that President Trump sought to de-escalate trade tensions with China. The luxury sector was among the strongest performers, with Kering jumping 4.3% after agreeing to sell its beauty division to L’Oréal (up 0.7%) for €4 billion. The defense sector also advanced, with Rheinmetall up 3.3% and Leonardo gaining 2.9%, both recovering from losses in the previous session. Large-cap stocks mostly traded higher, including ASML Holding (+1.1%), Hermès (+1.0%), HSBC (+1.6%), and SAP (+1.0%). However, Thyssenkrupp tumbled more than 22% after a spin-off. B&M European Value Retail also slumped 18% after its CFO resigned, following the company’s decision to cut its profit forecast due to an accounting error.
