European Shares Lack Direction In Early Trade

(RTTNews) - European stocks were little changed on Friday but were set for a monthly gain on rising bets of a Federal Reserve interest-rate cut in December and growing hopes for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.

In economic releases, German retail sales dropped unexpectedly in October, official data revealed earlier today.

Retail sales decreased 0.3 percent month-on-month, offsetting the 0.3 percent increase in September, Destatis said. Economists had forecast a monthly increase of 0.1 percent.

The pan European Stoxx 600 was marginally lower at 574.80 but was on track for its best weekly showing since early October.

The German DAX and France's CAC 40 were marginally lower while the U.K.'s FTSE 100 inched up 0.1 percent.

Deutsche Boerse shares rose 1.1 percent. The German stock exchange operator said it is in exclusive talks to acquire European fund distribution platform Allfunds Group Plc in a €5.3 billion ($6.1 billion) cash and stock deal.

Delivery Hero soared 6 percent. The food delivery company is facing pressure from several major shareholders to consider selling the company or divesting parts of its business.

Laurent-Perrier declined 1.5 percent in Paris after it reported an 8.7 percent drop in group share net profit for the first half of its 2025-26 fiscal year.

U.S. markets were closed on Thursday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Trading will reopen with shortened hours today, closing at 1 p.m. ET for Black Friday 2025.