Stock Markets February 9, 2026

European Stocks Gain as Tech Concerns Ease; Earnings and Takeover Activity Draw Attention

STOXX 600 edges up amid rebound in global markets as banks, pharma and logistics see notable moves

By Caleb Monroe FDX HIMS
European Stocks Gain as Tech Concerns Ease; Earnings and Takeover Activity Draw Attention
FDX HIMS

European equities ticked higher on Monday as global markets recovered from last week’s volatility tied to concerns about new AI models. Investors parsed corporate results from UniCredit and monitored deal activity after a consortium including Advent and FedEx agreed to acquire InPost. Tech stocks advanced, while moves in pharma and banking also stood out.

Key Points

  • STOXX 600 rose 0.5% to 620.12 points as of 0809 GMT amid a broader rebound in global equities.
  • Deal news: Advent and FedEx-led consortium agreed to buy InPost in a $9.2 billion deal, lifting InPost shares by 13.3% - impacting logistics and parcel services.
  • Corporate moves: UniCredit aims for 11 billion euros in profit this year, helping euro zone banks climb 1.6%; Novo Nordisk gained after Hims & Hers stopped offering a cheap GLP-1 pill.

European share indexes nudged upward on Monday, following a global rebound in equities that came after a volatile stretch last week. The pan-European STOXX 600 index was trading 0.5% higher at 620.12 points as of 0809 GMT, as investors weighed quarterly results and activity on the deals front.

Markets had been rattled in recent sessions by concerns that newer artificial intelligence models might disrupt established software businesses. That unease persisted in the background, even as major industry participants including Alphabet and Amazon.com outlined fresh spending plans to develop AI technology. The recovery seen at the end of last week helped the STOXX index post weekly gains, though analysts and investors remain likely to watch developments in the technology sector closely.

On Monday the tech sector rose about 1%, reflecting some easing of the earlier strain on software-related stocks.

Dealmaking was in focus after a consortium led by holding firm Advent and FedEx (FDX) agreed to acquire parcel locker operator InPost (INPST) in a transaction valued at $9.2 billion. The announcement sent shares of the Polish company up 13.3%.

In healthcare-related moves, shares of Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk (NOVOb) climbed 8.2% after U.S.-based Hims & Hers (HIMS) said it will stop offering a low-cost GLP-1 pill, following an FDA warning that it would take action against the product.

Italian lender UniCredit (CRDI) also drew investor attention after reporting targets to lift profit to 11 billion euros this year, a statement that helped push the bank's shares up 4.3%. The stronger showing among euro zone lenders supported a 1.6% advance for the broader banking sector.

A portion of the coverage flagged a specific investment-service angle, noting that a product called ProPicks AI evaluates FDX alongside thousands of other companies monthly using more than 100 financial metrics. The service was described as using AI to generate stock ideas by assessing fundamentals, momentum, and valuation, citing past winners such as Super Micro Computer (+185%) and AppLovin (+157%).

Overall, the session reflected a market attempting to regain footing after last week’s swings, with M&A activity, bank earnings targets and regulatory developments in pharmaceuticals providing the main headlines.

Risks

  • Persistent uncertainty in the technology sector driven by concerns that newer AI models could disrupt traditional software companies - sector impact: technology.
  • Regulatory enforcement around GLP-1 products, highlighted by the FDA warning that prompted Hims & Hers to cease offering a low-cost GLP-1 pill - sector impact: pharmaceuticals and consumer health.
  • Deal-related volatility as acquisitions and consortium bids can sharply move target and related stocks, exemplified by the InPost jump after the Advent/FedEx agreement - sector impact: logistics and corporate M&A activity.

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