Key facts
- STOXX 600 index down 0.13% at 636.50 points.
- Kering shares fell 10.4% on weak Gucci brand sales.
- Holcim raised its full-year earnings forecast.
- Brent crude prices climbed more than 1%.
European stocks edged lower on Friday, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index down 0.13% at 636.50 points by 0718 GMT. The index was on course for a weekly decline after its biggest one-day drop in three weeks on Thursday. Luxury firm Kering's shares slumped 10.4% after third-quarter sales at its flagship Gucci brand fell, undermining hopes of a recovery plan. In contrast, Holcim gained 5.2% after raising its full-year earnings forecast on better-than-expected quarterly sales and profit. Higher oil prices and political uncertainty in France contributed to a cautious mood, with Brent crude climbing more than 1% to multi-month highs. Concerns over social unrest in France pushed the yield on its 10-year benchmark note to a 24-year high this week, while a sell-off in AI-linked stocks also weighed on sentiment.