European stock markets reached a record high on Tuesday, buoyed by robust corporate earnings from firms including Amundi, while rising metal prices also propelled the mining sector higher. However, a decline in Publicis Groupe's share price weighed on the media sector.
At 10:11 London time, the Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.4%, having climbed as much as 0.9% earlier in the session. The media sector was the weakest performer, with Publicis Groupe shares falling 8% as analysts noted the advertising giant's conservative growth guidance for 2026.
Mining stocks were among the top gainers, attracting bargain-hunting funds into gold and silver. The blue-chip Euro Stoxx 50 index also hit a fresh all-time high, surging as much as 1.1% during the day.
France's CAC 40 index advanced up to 0.7% intraday. This followed the French National Assembly's passage of the 2026 budget after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence motion votes; concurrently, French inflation unexpectedly slowed to its lowest level in five years.
A Goldman Sachs basket of domestically-focused French stocks climbed 0.5%. Since mid-2024, this portfolio has outperformed export-oriented stocks despite the prevailing political uncertainty.
In individual stock movements, Amundi shares jumped 5.1% after Europe's largest asset manager reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter pre-tax profit and announced a €500 million share buyback program.
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