Major European markets moved cautiously toward the close, with attention on the U.S. midterm elections and diplomatic efforts to ease the Middle East crisis. Milan gained 0.33%, while Paris traded near flat. London fell 0.9%, Madrid lost 0.65% and Frankfurt slipped 0.15%.
In New York, the Dow Jones was down 0.18%, while the Nasdaq advanced 1.07%. Oil and gas prices extended their declines: WTI crude fell 0.8% to $95.70 a barrel, and gas dropped 4.6% to €90.50 per megawatt-hour.
Government bond yields rose, although the spread between Italian BTPs and German Bunds narrowed to 112.8 points. Italy’s annual yield increased by 1.7 points to 4.4%, Germany’s rose 2.3 points to 3.31%, and France’s gained 3 points to 4.92%.
Gold rose 0.74% to $3,934.44 an ounce. The dollar strengthened to below $1.12 per euro, while the pound climbed above $1.34 against the dollar.
Quarterly results influenced several stocks. Ferrari gained 3.4%, Lottomatica 2.25% and Intesa 1.35%. Bayer rose 4.35%, Philips 5.75% and Lufthansa 4.46%. British American Tobacco fell 1.5%, Coca-Cola lost 1.95% and Hugo Boss declined 1.54%.
Sources: ANSA Economia.