European stock markets close lower; Renk up 5% as defense stocks rise

European stock markets close lower

It’s been a broadly negative day for European equities, with the regional Stoxx 600 index closing 0.6% lower as Germany’s DAX slipped 0.78% from Tuesday’s record high close.

There have been few stand-out performers, though defense firms including Renk, Hensoldt and Saab all moved higher as investors continue to eye tailwinds behind the sector.

Automaker Stellantis closed 2.2% lower after the owner of Jeep, Dodge, Fiat, Citroen and more named North American chief operating officer Antonio Filosa as its new chief executive. The announcement ends months of uncertainty at a challenging time for the company, as it grapples with a host of challenges from the EV transition to tariffs.

However, the wider autos sector was a rare bright spot on Wednesday, ending 0.7% higher. Oil and gas stocks on the Stoxx 600 also eked out a 0.12% gain, with oil producer alliance OPEC+ late in the session announcing it would leave its formal output quotas unchanged.

Thursday is set to be relatively quiet for European data and earnings, though there will be more action stateside. We’ll get a second estimate for U.S. GDP in the first quarter, after an initial reading showed a 0.3% contraction in the world’s largest economy. Investors will also be digesting Nvidia results and Federal Reserve meeting minutes that are due later Wednesday.

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