European stocks fell slightly at the end of a short holiday week, with traders looking for clues about future interest rates and possible changes in U.S. policies as Donald Trump prepares for his presidency. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.1% by 8:15 AM GMT, but it was still on track for a 0.7% gain for the week. Trading was light as traders came back from their New Year breaks.
In Switzerland, stocks rose by 0.5% in their first trading day of 2025, while the German DAX fell 0.2%, and France’s CAC 40 dropped 0.5%. Sectors linked to China, like mining and car manufacturing, faced challenges even after a Chinese official announced plans to boost funding through ultra-long treasury bonds in 2025. Investors are worried about China’s economy and potential trade conflicts with the U.S. as Donald Trump’s inauguration approaches on January 20th.
In individual stock news, Tullow Oil saw a big jump of 12.5% after the company announced that it won’t have to pay $320 million in taxes following a ruling about its operations in Ghana.
Leave a Reply