FX.co ★ European Stocks Rise on Thursday

European stocks experienced an upswing on Thursday, with the Stoxx 50 advancing by 0.9% and the Stoxx 600 increasing by 0.6%. The growth was primarily driven by gains in the food and beverage sector. The Stoxx Food & Beverage Index surged 3.2% following Nestlé's announcement of a strategic reorganization involving the reduction of 12,000 white-collar positions, alongside an additional 4,000 job cuts slated for the next two years. Meanwhile, Sartorius, a German life sciences company, saw its shares rise by 9% after reporting a 7.5% increase in revenue and enhanced profitability for the first nine months of 2025. Nordea Bank also performed well, with its share price climbing approximately 3% to new records, buoyed by lending income that exceeded expectations. This was driven by a 6% year-on-year growth in both mortgage and corporate lending, notably supported by expansion in Sweden and a recent acquisition in Norway. Conversely, Whitbread's shares dropped by 10% due to underwhelming profit and growth results. In political developments, French investors reacted positively to the stabilizing effect of the new government surviving a no-confidence vote.