European shares end lower as automakers weigh, though clocks quarterly gains

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By Shashwat Chauhan and Pranav Kashyap

(Reuters) -Europe’s STOXX 600 closed lower on Monday with automakers leading declines after industry majors Stellantis and Volkswagen’s profit warnings, though the benchmark recorded quarterly and monthly gains.

The pan-European STOXX 600 closed 1% lower, retreating from an all-time high hit last week.

European auto stocks were at the helm of losses, down 4% with Milan-listed shares of Stellantis NV sliding 14.7% after Europe’s second biggest carmaker cut its 2024 profit forecast and warned it will burn through more cash than expected.

“A slowdown in the global automotive sector and having to spend big on revitalising two core brands have put a dent in Stellantis’ bonnet,” AJ Bell’s investment director Russ Mould said.

Bigger rival Volkswagen had also cut its annual outlook for the second time in less than three months late on Friday, sending its shares down 4.3%.

Despite Monday’s losses, pan-European benchmark advanced more than 2% in the July-September quarter and clocked a third successive monthly gain.

Risk sentiment flourished this month after the U.S. Federal Reserve eased its monetary policy, joining global peers including the European Central Bank (ECB).

Speaking on Monday, ECB’s President Christine Lagarde said the central bank is increasingly confident that inflation will fall to its 2% target and this will be reflected in its next policy move, dropping the clearest hint yet about a coming interest rate cut.

Last week, a series of stimulus measures announced by China to revive its dwindling economy also gave a leg up to China-exposed stocks such as luxury heavyweights and industrials.

This week, comments from Fed chair Jerome Powell later in the day, along with a broader euro zone inflation reading on Tuesday would remain in focus.

On Monday, a preliminary reading showed German inflation fell to its lowest level since February 2021 this month. Yields on euro zone government bonds fell. [GVD/EUR]

Britain’s economy grew more slowly than previously thought in the second quarter. UK’s domestically focussed FTSE 250 midcap index closed 0.9% lower.

Among other headlining stocks, Britain’s Rightmove dropped 7.7% after Rupert Murdoch’s REA Group ended its $8.29 billion takeover pursuit following a fourth bid rejection from the real estate portal.

Germany’s Gerresheimer plunged 18% after the medical packaging devices maker cut its forecasts for 2024 and 2025.

Danish shipping giant Maersk gained 4%, with analysts pointing to a looming U.S. East Coast port strike.

(Reporting by Pranav Kashyap and Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Janane Venkatraman and Shreya Biswas)