Equities

European equities rose in September, buoyed by broader global gains supported by the Fed’s rate cut.

European equities were slightly higher in August but continue to underperform US equities. European macro data were mixed, with PMIs improving in manufacturing but weakening in services.

Europe’s strategic autonomy is no longer a theory; it’s a trending headline, a policy priority, and an investment theme. But with many players now crowding the space, real differentiation lies not in retelling the story, but in how you act on it. At Candriam, we see Europe’s autonomy shift not as a short-term theme, but as a long-term, multi-sector transformation.

On Sunday, July 27, 2025, the EU and the US successfully concluded a trade agreement, paving the way for strengthened economic relations between the two regions. While initial reports caused some confusion, it now appears that most pharmaceutical products, excluding certain generics, will be subject to a 15% tariff.

After a sustained period of outperformance versus other regions, European equity markets have underperformed in recent weeks. This shift was marked by a notable rotation into US technology stocks during the month of June.

European equities closed May higher but are no longer outperforming US equities.

Global manufacturers are navigating a highly challenging environment marked by tariffs, trade conflicts and new alliances, supply chain disruptions, and rising geopolitical tensions.

Over the past twenty-five years, the medical biotechnology sector has profoundly transformed the therapeutic landscape. From the fight against cancer to the development of Covid-19 vaccines in record time, advances in biopharma have changed the outcome for millions of patients worldwide.

“Volatility” would be the key word to describe global markets in April, as the set of tariffs announced by President Trump were broader and more punitive than expected.

PFAS have been widely used for decades due to their unique properties in various domestic and industrial applications. They are resistant to water and virtually indestructible. They are also seen as the poison of the century. Where do we stand in terms of regulation? What are the PFAS-related risks? Where are the opportunities?

Since the last committee on March 11th, European markets have fallen sharply, due to Donald Trump’s announcements regarding US tariffs on April 2nd.

AI is accelerating scientific research, infrastructure development, communications and finance, as well as contributing to the fight against climate change

According to the Institute for Economics & Peace, there are 56 active conflicts in the world, the greatest number since the end of World War II. Increasingly complex geopolitics and ReArm Europe are keeping investors on our toes, analytically.

“Uncertainty” was probably the most important driver behind the stock market’s behaviour over the past four weeks.

A relatively buoyant environment for Equity Market Neutral strategies.

In January, European equities closed the month higher, outperforming the US and narrowing part of the valuation gap between the two sides of the Atlantic. In addition to attractive valuation multiples, the eurozone has benefited from improving macro data (the composite PMI edged into expansionary territory at 50.2 in January and retail sales have risen for five consecutive months) and the ongoing rate-cutting cycle from the European Central Bank (ECB), while the Fed has decided to pause rate cuts.

Have you heard about radiotheranostics? This new field in medicine combines diagnosis and therapy. It involves using specially designed radioactive compounds that can both identify cancer cells and deliver targeted radiation therapy to destroy them. This is one of the latest developments of precision medicine, a domain that offers fascinating prospects in both early detection and specific treatment.

Healthcare share prices tend to reflect some trepidation leading up to and shortly after the US presidential elections, yet for the last five elections the sector outperformed in the 12 months following the election.

Since the US presidential elections, US equities have been on an uptrend driven by a certain optimism, as the expectation of tax cuts and deregulation have fuelled the hope of accelerated corporate earnings growth.

European equity markets ended the last month of the year on a positive note. The positive market trend was mainly driven by rate cuts and slowing inflation over the course of 2024.

In November, European equities closed the month up. Excluding the UK, however, European equities fell marginally due to a combination of concerns about US trade policy and earnings warnings from the automotive and consumer goods sectors. Consumer weakness in China and within domestic markets was cited as the cause in both cases. A strong Financials performance supported UK equities (+2.5%).

In October, European equities closed the month lower. European headline inflation was revised down to 1.7% year-on-year in September (from the preliminary 1.8%).

Despite weak macroeconomic data (notably from Germany), European equities remained broadly flat in September, thanks to the announcement of the stimulus plan in China. However, Europe has faced the highest outflows since March 2022, to the benefit of emerging markets.

Chinese authorities have begun addressing deflationary pressures through a series of monetary and fiscal measures, signaling their growing urgency to stabilise the economy.

In August, European equities closed the month a bit higher despite some volatility.