Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 21, 2025
3 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
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STOXX 600 hits a three-month high, led by healthcare and luxury stocks, amid uncertainty over Trump's tariffs. European automakers face pressure.
By Nikhil Sharma and Pranav Kashyap
(Reuters) -European shares rose on Tuesday, buoyed by gains in the healthcare and luxury sectors, but the uptick was tempered by lingering uncertainties over U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tariff measures following his inauguration.
The pan-European STOXX 600 closed up 0.4% at 525.98 points - its highest level in three months. This marks its fifth consecutive day of gains, the longest winning streak it has seen in over a month.
Heavyweight healthcare was the biggest boost, with a 1.5% rise, with drugmaker Novo Nordisk advancing 4%.
Luxury stocks gained 1.5%, boosted by a 5.3% jump in Burberry.
"The luxury sector is back in vogue after spending a few months in the penalty box," Bernstein said.
Personal and household goods was also among the top winning sectors, adding 1.2%.
Around the globe, markets buzzed with anticipation at the dawn of Trump's presidency. While he refrained from immediately imposing tariffs upon taking office, but said he was thinking about imposing 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1.
Trump also revealed his plans to reverse the U.S. trade deficit with the European Union, either with tariffs or more energy exports.
"President Trump spared China and the EU. No increase in levies on China or new ones on Europe lowers tensions," however, the uncertainty over tariffs is the biggest handicap for European trade and investment," Societe Generale analysts said in a note.
The U.S dollar regained some ground, while the Euro slipped.
European automakers came under pressure. Shares of Volkswagen, BMW and Stellantis slipped between 0.8% and 2% on uncertainty over possible new tariffs.
Basic resources dipped 1%, tracking lower metal prices. [MET/L]
"Market is clearly on edge at this point about what comes next," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG Group, adding that there is a sense that this administration will "take a hard line on tariffs, but implementation of course takes a while."
The European Union signalled its readiness to engage and negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday, warning of the need to avoid a trade conflict that would hurt both sides and the global economy.
Meanwhile, the spectre of a global trade war, fuelled by Trump's tariff-centric rhetoric, loomed. Across the Atlantic, Wall Street also opened with caution. [.N]
German investor morale fell more than expected in January. The benchmark German stock index rose 0.2%.
Investors anticipate a flurry of economic data, including flash PMI figures for the Euro zone, Germany, Britain and France due later this week.
Among other stocks, Orsted tumbled 10.7% after the offshore wind developer posted an impairment charge of 12.1 billion Danish crowns ($1.69 billion) related to its U.S. offshore portfolio.
Avanza Bank rose 13% to a more than three-year high after the Swedish financial group posted fourth-quarter results above market expectations.
Peer Nordnet also jumped 7.4%.
(Reporting by Nikhil Sharma and Pranav Kashyap; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli and Hugh Lawson)
The article discusses the rise of the STOXX 600 index, driven by healthcare and luxury stocks, amid concerns over Trump's tariff policies.
Healthcare stocks were the biggest boost, with a 1.5% rise, led by Novo Nordisk's 4% advance.
Trump's tariff plans created uncertainty, affecting European automakers and raising concerns about a potential trade conflict.
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