European Shares End January Higher on Earnings
**European Markets: Weekly Wrap & Monthly Close**
European equity markets finished **Friday** on a strong note, solidifying a positive start to the year. The benchmark **STOXX 600** gained **0.2%** on the day, securing a **2.4%** rise for the month of January. The **STOXX 50** added **0.5%**, while Spain's **IBEX 35** outperformed with a **1.66%** surge, driven largely by the banking sector.
Investor sentiment was buoyed by **Eurozone GDP** data, which expanded by **0.3%** in Q4, exceeding forecasts and signaling economic resilience.
**Fed Leadership Update**
Markets reacted calmly but attentively to major news from the US. President Donald Trump announced the nomination of **Kevin Warsh** as the next Chairman of the Federal Reserve, effective upon the expiration of Jerome Powell’s term in May. Warsh, a former Fed Governor, is viewed as a knowledgeable figure with a mix of academic and real-world policy experience.
**Corporate Movers**
**Banks & Finance**
Spanish lender **Caixabank** led the sector's gains, rising nearly **3.7%**. The bank reported a beat on fourth-quarter earnings with a net income of **€1.49 billion** and posted a record annual profit of **€5.9 billion**, supported by steady net interest income.
**Consumer Goods & Retail**
**Adidas** shares jumped approximately **5.8%** after releasing preliminary Q4 results. The sportswear giant reported an **11%** increase in currency-neutral revenue to **€6.08 billion** and announced a new share buyback program of up to **€1 billion**.
**Swatch Group** also rallied, climbing over **6%**. Despite missing full-year profit expectations, the watchmaker issued an optimistic outlook for **2026**, citing recovering sales momentum in the second half of the year and strong growth in the Americas.
**Laggards**
Not all earnings reports were positive. Lighting specialist **Signify** slumped roughly **13%** after issuing a profit warning for the year ahead. Mining stocks also faced pressure, with **Anglo American** and **Glencore** slipping nearly **2.7%** as investors reassessed positions in industrial metals.
***
... [Adidas, Swatch, and Signify Stock Movers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5iSbISnrpI) ...
This video provides a concise summary of the key stock movements mentioned in the brief, specifically focusing on the performance of Adidas, Swatch, and Signify.
http://googleusercontent.com/youtube_content/0