European Stocks Closed On Mixed Note Ahead Of Fed Rate Decision

(RTTNews) - European stocks turned in a mixed performance on Wednesday as investors largely stayed cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision due later in the day.

Remarks from some European Central Bank officials that the bank will likely adopt a pragmatic, wait-and-see approach with regard to future policy stance weighed a bit on sentiment.

The Fed is widely expected to lower interest rate by 25 basis points. Investors also awaited Fed Chair Jerome Powell's post meeting remarks for clues about the central bank's likely stance with regard to interest rates in the coming months.

The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.07%. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended up by 0.14%, while Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 closed lower by 0.13% and 0.37%, respectively.

Among other markets in Europe, Belgium, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Turkiye closed weak.

Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Poland and Russia ended higher, while Greece, Ireland, Spain and Sweden settled flat.

The Magnum Ice Cream Company, the top gainer in UK's FTSE 100 index, climbed nearly 4%. Scottish Mortgage, Berkeley Group Holdings, HSBC Holdings, British American Tobacco, Standard Chartered, Rentokil Initial and Pearson gained 2 to 3.7%.

Berkeley Group Holdings shares climbed higher after the homebuilder mainained its full-year pre-tax profit guidance for fiscal 2026 despite posting weaker interim revenues and profits.

Anglo American Plc gained after its shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favor of a merger of equals with Canadian miner Teck Resources Limited.

Halma, SSE, Land Securities, United Utilities, Legal & General, BT Group, ICG, Informa, Melrose Industries, Severn Trent and Segro closed notably lower.

In the German market, Siemens Energy climbed more than 4%

Fresenius surged 2.1%. Fresenius Medical Care, Beiersdorf, Hannover Rueck, Adidas and Munich gained 1 to 2%.

Rheinmetall, Infineon, Deutsche Boerse, BMW, Siemens Healthineers, Heidelberg Materials, Merck and Siemens closed lower by 1 to 3%.

In the French market, ArcelorMittal, Eurofins Scientific, Edenred, Carrefour, Societe General, Stellantis and Eurofins Scientific closed up 0.6 to 1.6%.

Vinci ended down by 3%. Thales, Renault, Veolia Environment, Accor, Bouygues, Dassault Systemes, TotalEnergies, Saint Gobain and Engie closed lower by 1 to 2.2%.