European equities were little changed on Thursday as a post-Nvidia earnings rally faded, leaving major indexes hovering near one-week highs.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index slipped 0.1%, with Germany's DAX flat and France's CAC 40 down 0.2%. The UK's FTSE 100 fell 0.4%, reflecting a cautious tone after Nvidia's strong quarterly results.
Nvidia's stock surged up to 5.6% in after-hours trading following its quarterly report, breaking a pattern of negative reactions to its earnings releases. The Santa Clara-based chipmaker reported revenue more than doubling year-over-year, driven by demand for AI hardware. CEO Jensen Huang also raised the fiscal 2028 revenue growth forecast to approximately 70%, exceeding Wall Street estimates of 44%.
Semiconductor equipment suppliers benefited from the AI-driven optimism. ASML Holding NV advanced 2.5%, while STMicroelectronics NV, Infineon Technologies AG, and BE Semiconductors each rose between 2% and 4%.
In macroeconomic data, German consumer sentiment improved slightly, with the GfK index rising to -26.6 points for September. The increase reflected gains in economic and income expectations, though households remained cautious on discretionary spending.
Oil prices declined, with Brent crude falling 0.5% to $87.40 a barrel, extending a four-day losing streak. The drop followed reports of Qatar's prime minister traveling to Tehran to restart U.S.-Iran diplomatic talks. Additional easing of supply disruption fears came as Iran and Oman discussed commercial transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
