(Reuters) – European stocks opened lower on Thursday as investors returned from the midweek holiday to analyze a series of big earnings and the Federal Reserve (US central bank) signaled to postpone interest rate cuts.
By 0715 GMT, the euro was down 0.2%, after recording its first monthly decline this year in April.
Investors returned from the Labor Day holiday on Wednesday, a day that saw interest rates stay higher for longer due to recent disappointing inflation readings.
Energy stocks fell 1.7%, with Vestas losing 4.2% after the world's largest wind turbine maker reported a surprise loss in the first quarter.
Novo Nordisk (NYSE:) raised its 2024 forecast and posted better-than-expected earnings in the first quarter. But the stock fell 2.4% after giving up early gains.
Holland' ING Group (AS:) jumped 5.4% after a €2.5 billion ($2.68 billion) share buyback and a strong first-quarter performance. British Standard Chartered shares rose five percent after achieving better profits in the first quarter, which boosted the banking index to top the list of gainers among sectors.
Shares of French office services and call center company Teleperformance rose 15.4% after first-quarter sales rose.
($1 = 0.9327 euros)
