It was a day of diverging fortunes in European stocks on Thursday, as corporate results buoyed shares of Nokia and Anheuser-Busch InBev, while Volkswagen and Royal Dutch Shell traded lower.
Nokia
NOKIA,
-1.07%
NOK,
-2.41%
shares rose 4% as the Finnish telecom equipment maker reported third-quarter adjusted earnings ahead of estimates, and said operating margins for the year will come in at the upper half of expectations.
Anheuser-Busch InBev
ABI,
-3.10%
BUD,
-2.09%
gained 7% as the brewer reported a surprise rise in third-quarter organic operating profit as volumes rose 3.4%, driven by demand in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. It also nudged higher its annual profit guidance.
Airbus
AIR,
-1.25%
rose after the plane maker lifted its financial targets for the year.
Volkswagen
VOW3,
-0.49%
slipped 3% as the world’s number-two automaker by volume missed expectations, hurt by the familiar story of the microchip shortage.
Royal Dutch Shell
RDSB,
-1.27%
RDS.B,
-2.96%
slipped 3% after missing third-quarter earnings estimates, setting an emissions reduction target, and being the target of a break-up call by Daniel Loeb’s Third Point investment firm.
The Stoxx Europe 600
SXXP,
+0.07%
was little moved at 474.12, ahead of a European Central Bank decision and U.S. gross domestic product data.
U.S. stock futures
ES00,
+0.33%
inched higher.
