European markets edged higher on Tuesday after a mixed opening in a holiday-shortened trading week, with the Stoxx 600 index reaching a new record above 590 points led by mining stocks and rising precious metals prices as 2025 draws to a close.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose 0.2% by 9:30 a.m. London time, equivalent to 4:30 a.m. ET, surpassing the 590-point mark for the first time. Major national indices followed suit, with the U.K.’s FTSE 100, France’s CAC 40, and Germany’s DAX each advancing approximately 0.2%. Italy’s FTSE MIB outperformed, climbing 0.7%.
Mining stocks led gains across the blue-chip index. Fresnillo advanced 3.5%. Other miners recorded increases between 1.8% and 2.6%: Anglo American, Antofagasta, and Glencore.
- Fresnillo gained 3.5%.
- Anglo American rose between 2.6% and 1.8%.
- Antofagasta rose between 2.6% and 1.8%.
- Glencore rose between 2.6% and 1.8%.
Precious metals futures supported the sector’s performance. Gold futures increased 1% to $4,386.30 per ounce. Silver futures surged 5.2% to $74.10 per ounce. On Monday, silver futures experienced volatility, reaching a record high in early morning trading before retracing gains to post its worst daily performance since 2021.
Regional bourses ended mixed on Monday. Defense stocks underperformed amid ongoing talks to establish a framework peace agreement ending the war in Ukraine.
Asia-Pacific markets declined overnight following continued selling in Wall Street technology shares driven by concerns over an AI bubble. Nvidia shares fell more than 1% on Monday, partially offsetting gains exceeding 5% from the prior week’s trading session. Palantir Technologies, Meta Platforms, and Oracle also recorded losses.
U.S. stocks showed little change in pre-market trading, as major technology names registered minimal movements. Europe faced no major earnings reports or data releases on Tuesday.
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