European Shares Waver Amid Trade Policy Woes

European stocks saw mixed results as investors analyzed corporate earnings impacted by U.S. trade policies and awaited the ECB's policy decision. Key movements included Hermès' sales miss, a potential ECB rate cut, and Siemens Energy's notable performance boosting Germany's index.

On Thursday, European stocks displayed mixed performance as investors examined corporate earnings influenced by the unpredictable trade policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. The anticipation of the European Central Bank's policy decision later added to the market's uncertainty.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index slightly decreased by 0.4% around 0712 GMT, though it reflected a 4% weekly gain helped by the absence of significant trade war escalations. Investors remained cautious, refraining from significant investments due to the impending long weekend for Good Friday and Easter Monday.

France's Hermès saw a 4% drop following a rare quarterly sales miss, similar to competitor LVMH, which also reported disappointing sales figures. The ongoing trade war has darkened global growth outlooks, stirring market volatility similar to the slump seen during the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020. Meanwhile, Siemens Energy surged 10% after revising its fiscal year outlook upwards, contributing to Germany's benchmark index outperforming other European markets.

(With inputs from agencies.)