European stocks declined on Thursday due to investor caution ahead of crucial economic data and the first round of French elections. The STOXX 600 index dropped 0.4%, with retail stocks down 1.9%, led by H&M’s 12.9% plunge after missing profit forecasts.
Basic resources and personal goods sectors also saw declines. GSK fell 4.5% following the CDC’s narrowed vaccine recommendation. Conversely, DS Smith surged 15.6% after Suzano ended buyout talks, and Kering rose 4.7% on an upgrade from BofA Global Research. Investors await U.S. inflation data and European consumer price reports.
