European Stocks Lower in Thursday Trading; ECB Says Economy Resilient but Outlook Remains 'Challenging'

12:17 PM EST, 02/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets look set to close lower Thursday trading as The Stoxx Europe lost 0.5%, Germany's DAX dropped 0.9%, the FTSE 100 was down 0.6%, France's CAC declined 0.4%, and the Swiss Market Index edged 0.1% lower.

The European Central Bank said in its economic bulletin Thursday that the outlook for the bloc is "still uncertain, owing particularly to ongoing global trade policy uncertainty and geopolitical tensions." However, it also said that the economy remains resilient, despite a "challenging" global environment.

The central bank also said it continues to expect inflation to stabilize at its 2% target over the medium term.

And in corporate news, AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo had its European Medicines Agency marketing application validated for their targeted therapy Enhertu to treat a specific type of early-stage breast cancer, Daiichi Sankyo said Thursday.

The regulatory approval initiates the formal scientific review process for the medication's use as a standalone option in patients who still have breast cancer following prior treatments, the company said.

Shares of the British pharmaceutical company was down 1.6% in London.

TechnipFMC reported Q4 adjusted earnings Thursday of $0.70 per diluted share, up from $0.54 a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $0.52.

Revenue for the quarter ended Dec. 31 was $2.52 billion, compared with $2.37 billion a year earlier. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $2.54 billion.

The company raised its 2026 subsea revenue guidance to between $9.20 billion and $9.60 billion, from the previous range of $9.10 billion to $9.50 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet expect $9.39 billion.

Mining company stocks were slumping in Thursday trading as Rio Tinto and Anglo American dropped 3.9% and 2.8% respectively in London, followed by Antofagasta, which lost 2.6%, while ArcelorMittal was down 2.4% in Paris.

Automotive stocks were also tracking lower as Stellantis and Renault dropped 4.6% and 3.5% respectively in Paris, while BMW and Volkswagen lost 1.8% and 1.6% respectively on the DAX.

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