European Shares Mixed In Cautious Trade Amid AI Investment Concerns

(RTTNews) - European stocks were mixed on Friday, after having closed at a seven-week high the previous day on the back of strong earnings and status quo interest-rate decisions by the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

Technology stocks were coming under selling pressure after Alphabet burnt through cash last quarter, Amazon signaled higher capital expenditures next year atop an already huge amount in 2026, and Intel warned about a faltering PC market.

Elevated oil prices and weak French GDP data also kept investors on edge ahead of the release of third-quarter Eurozone GDP data later in the day.

The French economy contracted unexpectedly in the third quarter on weak investment and exports, according to preliminary data from the statistical office INSEE.

Gross domestic product fell 0.1 percent sequentially after stagnating in the second quarter. Economists had forecast the economy to expand 0.1 percent. German preliminary Q3 GDP arrived at 0.2 percent, beating forecasts.

The pan-European STOXX 600 was marginally lower at 648.52 after gaining 0.8 percent on Thursday.

The German DAX slipped 0.1 percent, while France's CAC 40 rose 0.2 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.4 percent.

AI spending concerns weighed on technology stocks, with Aixtron, Infineon Technologies and ST Microelectronics falling 3-4 percent.

British drugmaker AstraZeneca rallied 2.8 percent after profit rose more than expected in the third quarter.

Oil & gas giant BP rose about 1 percent after profits surged last quarter to a new record.

France's Sanofi jumped 5.5 percent after clocking stronger-than-expected third-quarter earnings and lifting its FY26 outlook.

Lender Credit Agricole fell 2.2 percent despite reporting higher profit for the third quarter.

Capgemini advanced 1.6 percent. The IT consulting group upgraded its 2026 financial targets after reporting a 12 percent rise in third-quarter revenue.

Reinsurer SCOR climbed 4 percent after reporting higher-than-expected third-quarter net income.

German sportswear maker Puma soared 6 percent after gross margins improved in the third quarter.