FX.co ★ European Shares Up on Shortened Session

On Christmas Eve, the STOXX 50 experienced a minor increase of 0.1%, while the STOXX 600 advanced by 0.4% in a trading session shortened by the holiday. This followed the STOXX 600's achievement of a new record high in the previous session. Anticipated trading volumes are expected to be subdued, with no significant economic announcements expected in Europe. Commodity-related stocks led the gains, particularly in the energy sector, driven by increasing oil and metal prices. BP's shares rose by 0.5% after it agreed to sell a 65% interest in Castrol to Stonepeak, while shares in Shell were up by 0.3% and TotalEnergies saw an increase of 0.8%. The luxury sector also experienced positive movements, with LVMH rising by 0.4%, Hermes advancing 0.3%, and L'Oreal appreciating by 0.2%. In contrast, ASML Holding saw a decrease of 0.7% and AstraZeneca's shares fell by 0.6%.