European Shares Edge Higher Ahead Of Lagarde's Speech

(RTTNews) - European stocks inched higher in cautious trade on Wednesday ahead of the release of Eurozone Services PMI data and a speech by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.

Investors also await a raft of U.S. economic data this week, including the monthly ADP National Employment Report for November expected later in the day.

The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up by 0.2 percent to 576.84 after closing flat with a positive bias on Tuesday.

The German DAX gained 0.3 percent, while France's CAC 40 and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were marginally higher.

Hugo Boss shares plunged more than 10 percent. The German fashion group said it expects falling sales and profits for 2026 before returning to growth from 2027.

Zara owner Inditex soared 7 percent after sales grew 10.6 percent over the start of its fourth quarter, buoyed by strong demand for its fall and winter collections.

Plane maker Airbus rallied 2.4 percent in Paris after backing its FY25 adjusted EBIT view.

HSBC Holdings fell about 1 percent in London after appointing Brendan Nelson as Group Chair.

Sainsbury's slumped 4 percent after Qatar's sovereign wealth fund sold a stake worth about £266 million ($352 million) in the British supermarket group.