Activity remained subdued across the continent, though individual movers provided some volatility. Nexans shares climbed 4.5% and Evonik Industries added 3.7%, contrasting with a 4.5% slide for both Unite Group and SSAB Series B. The FTSE 100 edged down 0.1%, while France’s CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX both managed modest gains of 0.2%.

Energy markets saw upward pressure, with Brent crude rising 0.4% to $80.17 a barrel and WTI crude reaching $76.14. Natural gas prices also tracked higher, as the Dutch TTF futures contract jumped 3.3% to 41.85 euros per megawatt hour. In the sovereign debt market, the German 10-year Bund yield rose 3 basis points to 2.966%, while Asian markets showed mild strength, led by a 0.3% rise in Japan's Nikkei 225.