2026.02.1208:41:48UTC+00European Stocks Hit Record High as Earnings Lift Sentiment

European equities advanced to new record highs on Thursday, driven by robust corporate earnings. The STOXX 50 jumped more than 1%, decisively breaking above the 6,100 level, while the broader STOXX 600 rose 0.6% to around 625 points.

Among the notable gainers, Legrand climbed 3.5% after the electrical and digital infrastructure company slightly raised its medium-term profitability targets, supported by strong demand from data centers. Hermès added more than 2% following yet another quarter of steady revenue growth. Siemens rallied 6% after the technology group upgraded its earnings guidance, citing a strong start to its fiscal year.

In contrast, Mercedes-Benz fell nearly 4% after reporting a sharp drop in annual profits. Unilever lost more than 3%, cautioning that its 2026 sales growth is likely to come in at the lower end of its guidance range due to softer demand in the US and Europe, despite beating fourth-quarter sales expectations in emerging markets.