Europe midday: Stoxx hits fresh high despite mixed markets

(Sharecast News) - European markets rallied after midday on Wednesday to a hit a fresh intra-day high as investors eyed a scheduled revision to US jobs data for 2025 and a sharp cooling in Chinese inflation.

The benchmark Stoxx 600 index was up 0.32% to 622.96 at 1400 GMT, having reached 623 earlier. Germany's DAX fell 0.08%, France's CAC 40 was 0.15% lower and Italy's MIB declined by 0.35%.

Britain's mining-heavy FTSE 100 bucked the trend with a 1% gain on the back of higher gold and silver prices.

Traders will also be eyeing delayed US jobs data later in the day after retail sales were published on Tuesday.

"This is the second of three important data releases from the US this week. Disappointing retail sales data for December weighed on US stocks and led to a retreat in US Treasury yields on Tuesday. Sentiment towards the US stock market rally could depend on the US labour market holding up, as fears about an economic slowdown could spook investors," said XTB research director Kathleen Brooks.

"Today's focus is not merely the January payrolls figure. Each January, the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the US release their annual revisions for the year before. Economists believe that there will be an 825,000 reduction in US job creation for 2025. If analysts are correct, this would be a huge downside revision that could wipe out all US job gains for 2025."

"This would suggest a much weaker jobs market in the US than currently expected, and it could have a big impact on the future direction of US growth."

In economic news, China's annual consumer price inflation fell to 0.2% last month from 0.8% in December, raising fears once again about deflationary pressures amid weak domestic demand.

The deflation in producer price inflation persisted, with prices falling 1.4% year-on-year in January after declining 1.9% in the previous month.

In equity news, shares in Gerresheimer tanked by a third after the German medical equipment maker said it expected a broader investigation into its accounting practices to hit 2025 results, adding that it had started the sale of its US packaging business to bolster its balance sheet.

French software firm Dassault Syst�mes shares were on track for their worst trading day ever early on Wednesday after posting weak fourthquarter figures and issuing a subdued outlook for the year ahead.

London Stock Exchange Group jumped on a report that Activist investor Elliott has built a "significant" stake and was engaging with the company to drive performance.

Barratt Redrow fell after interim profits fell 13.6% amid subdued housing demand.

Ahold Delhaize surged after the Dutch supermarket group better than expected fourth-quarter results.

Heineken was higher after announcing it would axe up to 6,000 jobs from its global workforce lowered its 2026 outlook.

Siemens Energy rose after net profit nearly tripled in the first quarter, boosted by AI-driven demand for gas turbines and grid equipment, while narrower losses at its wind division also pleased investors.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com