European Markets Close Weak On Growth Worries, Tech Valuations Concerns

(RTTNews) - European markets closed weak on Friday, with most of the markets extending losses from the previous session, as lingering concerns about high valuations in AI-related stocks and uncertainty about the outlook for economic growth due to the US government shutdown.

There are also concerns that most of the major central banks will decided to hold rates unchanged in the upcoming meetings.

The pan European Stoxx 600 lost 0.55%. Germany's DAX closed down by 0.68%, France's CAC 40 ended down 0.18% and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 settled 0.55% down, while Switzerland's SMI closed flat.

Among other markets in Europe, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Turkiye closed weak.

Czech Republic, Iceland and Russia ended higher.

In the UK market, Rightmove plunged 12.5%. The stock plummeted 22% earlier in the day, falling to the lowest level in two years, after the company lowered its earnings guidance. Despite recovering some ground, the stock is down as much as 14%.

IAG tanked 11.6% after it posted a drop in net profit and flat revenue in the third quarter, hit by weak demand for economy class seats on transatlantic flights.

Auto Trader Group ended 6% down, and Metlen Energy & Metal closed 5.6% down. Relx, Experian, IMI, LSEG, Ashtead Group and Polar Capital Group ended lower by 2 to 4%.

Shares of television company ITV soared nearly 17% after the group confirmed that it was in discussions with Comcast over a potential sale of its television business, in a deal worth £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion).

Hikma Pharmaceuticals climbed nearly 4%. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, WPP, Diageo, Intercontinental Hotels Group, Smith & Nephew, Hiscox, Vodafone Group and Coca-Cola HBC gained 1 to 3.6%.

In the German market, Zalando tumbled more than 8%. Scout24 closed lower by about 5%. Infineon Technologies, Siemens Energy, Siemens, Siemens Healthineers, Bayer and Fresenius Medical Care lost 1.4 to 3.2%.

BMW, Henkel, Rheinmetall, Volkswagen, Porsche Automobil Holdings, Deutsche Telekom and Symrise gained 1 to 2%.

Shares of defense electronics group Hensoldt moved up sharply after the company reported a sharp rise in orders in the first nine months of 2025

In the French market, Edenred and Teleperformance lost more than 5%. Societe Generale, Schneider Electric, Veolia Environment, STMicroElectronics, Bureau Veritas, Saint Gobain, Essilor Luxottica and Capgemini lost 1 to 2.3%.

Kering, Orange, ArcelorMittal and Danone gained 1 to 2.3%. Accor, Thales, Michelin, Pernod Ricard and TotalEnergies posted modest gains.

In economic news, data released by the Federal Statistical Office showed Germany's trade surplus narrowed to €15.3 billion in September 2025, down from a downwardly revised €16.9 billion in August and below market expectations of €16.8 billion, marking the smallest surplus since October 2024.

Imports jumped 3.1% to €115.9 billion, their highest level since May 2023, while exports grew 1.4% to €131.1 billion, a five-month high and above expectations of a 0.5% rise.

Data showed France's trade deficit widened to €6.6 billion in September 2025, the largest in three months, from €5.2 billion in August and above forecasts of €5.9 billion. Exports grew 0.1% from a month earlier to €51.9 billion, while imports advanced 2.5% to €58.5 billion.

U.K. house prices grew 0.6% month-on-month in October, which was the fastest since January as market activity remained strong ahead of Autumn Budget, mortgage lender Halifax reported.