<div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div id="ctl00_CPI_dvBody"><div><div><p>Add <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.rttnews.com/images/v4/RTTNews-Logo-224x61.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.rttnews.com/images/v4/RTTNews-Logo-224x61.png"/> as your preferred news source on Google</p><div><p><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.rttnews.com/images/v4/google.png?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.rttnews.com/images/v4/google.png"/> Add Now</p></div></div></div><p> European stocks were mostly lower on Thursday as investors digested mixed earnings results and kept a close eye on oil market dynamics amid an expanding Middle East conflict. </p><p>Oil extended gains as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran entered its sixth day. WTI crude futures were up more than 1 percent after the United States submarine sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka.</p><p>In a Pentagon briefing, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strike on the warship was the first such attack on an enemy since World War II.</p><p>In economic releases, France's industrial production rebounded in January, driven by the robust recovery in transport equipment output, the statistical office INSEE said.</p><p>Industrial production expanded 0.5 percent on a monthly basis, offsetting December's 0.5 percent decrease. Output was expected to grow 0.4 percent.</p><p>The release of Eurozone retail sales data and a speech by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde may garner investor attention later in the day. </p><p>The pan European Stoxx 600 dropped 0.4 percent to 610.46 after climbing 1.4 percent on Wednesday. </p><p>The German DAX dipped 0.4 percent and France's CAC 40 shed 0.6 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 0.3 percent. </p><p>British homebuilder Taylor Wimpey rallied 2.3 percent after launching a share buyback program worth up to £52.3 million.</p><p>Travel retailer WH Smith fell over 1 percent. The company has warned of potential disruption caused by war in the Middle East after reporting a 5 percent rise in first-half revenue.</p><p>PageGroup shares plunged 19 percent. The recruiter reported a 67 percent fall in annual pretax profit, hurt by weak European hiring and an uncertain economic outlook. </p><p>Financial services <span>business</span> Admiral surged 4 percent as it posted record profits despite a challenging economic backdrop.</p><p>Consumer goods firm Reckitt Benckiser fell 2.6 percent after maintaining its revenue growth targets for this fiscal year.</p><p>Insurer Aviva declined 2.3 percent despite meeting 2025 profit targets.</p><p>Germany's Deutsche Post slumped 4.6 percent after reporting lower FY25 attributable net profit. </p><p>Defense specialist RENK Group tumbled 3.2 percent despite the company achieving annual targets with new record revenue and order backlog.</p><p>Swedish radiotherapy equipment maker Elekta jumped 3.5 percent despite mixed-third-quarter results, with tariff costs and changes in FX showing a negative impact of 100 and 130 basis points respectively on the gross margin. </p><p>For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com</p><p>Business News</p></div></div>

SMWH

<p>European stocks fell on Thursday amid mixed earnings and escalating Middle East tensions, particularly the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The pan-European Stoxx 600 dropped 0.4%, while the German DAX and France's CAC 40 also declined. Oil prices rose over 1% following a U.S. attack on an Iranian warship. Notable stock movements included a 19% plunge for PageGroup due to weak hiring, while Admiral surged 4% on record profits. Taylor Wimpey gained 2.3% after announcing a share buyback, while WH Smith and Reckitt Benckiser faced declines.</p>

European Shares Broadly Lower Amid Middle East Tensions