Newsquawk Daily European Equity Opening News - 2nd November 2026

APAC stocks were ultimately mixed as the region partially shrugged off last Friday's continued tech rout on Wall St, where the Nasdaq briefly dipped into correction territory following weak earnings, while participants were cautious ahead of the US midterm elections on Tuesday and as they second-guess whether US President Trump will resume strikes on Iran post-election, although there were some hopes for diplomacy after Iran held talks with Qatari mediators in Doha. ASX 200 was dragged lower by underperformance in miners, materials, resources and financials heading into a widely expected rate hike by the RBA tomorrow and with Westpac shares indecisive following its earnings results. Nikkei 225 saw choppy price action in which it swung between gains and losses, but clawed back initial losses and returned to above the 63,000 level. KOSPI rebounded from an initial dip and outperformed its regional peers, with South Korean President Lee pledging that the government will nearly double AI investment spending next year to KRW 21.3tln, while he also commented that the Future Response Fund will be a strategic investment platform, as well as a fiscal stability mechanism. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were underpinned following a recent slew of earnings, including from China's big four banks, which all posted profit growth and with the PBoC meeting with Chinese regulators and major banks to discuss measures to support the capital market. In addition, the central bank announced changes to its 7-day reverse repo operations and shifted to overnight reverse repos as its main policy anchor, while participants also digested the latest PMI data, which was mixed as the official releases missed expectations and fell into contraction territory, but the Chinese RatingDog Manufacturing PMI continued to show an expansion.

Chinese Autos - Several Chinese automakers have travelled to Beijing to negotiate the allocation of EU hybrid vehicle export quotas with government departments, Cailian reports. Sources said total quotas are limited and individual manufacturers are competing for allocations. (Cailian)

China Auto Sales - Xpeng (XPEV) delivered a record 50,237 vehicles in October 2026 (+22% M/M, +20% Y/Y). Overseas deliveries reached a record 13,326 (+166% Y/Y). The Xpeng L05 launched in mainland China, with deliveries beginning 1st November 2026. Xpeng also obtained a licence to conduct Level 4 Robotaxi demonstration services in Guangzhou. Li Auto (LI) delivered 29,025 vehicles in October 2026, taking cumulative deliveries to 1,862,676. It delivered over 3,000 Li MEGA vehicles, introduced its Lianshan Battery and Motor, and launched the updated Li i6. The company plans to roll out OTA 9.2 in November. Nio (NIO) delivered 34,246 vehicles in October 2026, comprising 18,125 NIO, 8,383 ONVO and 7,738 FIREFLY vehicles. Cumulative deliveries reached 1,332,139 by 31st October. Its All-New ES8 reached 160,000 cumulative deliveries on 23rd October, and led Chinese retail sales in the large SUV and RMB 400,000-level segments during January-October.

Chinese Markets - The PBoC, NFRA and CSRC are reportedly set to meet with major banks on Monday to discuss measures to support equity markets, including optimising lending programmes for share buybacks, according to Cailian. Securities firms and funds have also been summoned to talks with the PBoC and CSRC, according to 21st Century Business Herald. (Cailian) Chinese equities advanced on the reports, with the CSI 300 rising as much as 1.3% and the Star 50 gaining over 3%.

Chinese NBS PMI - Manufacturing PMI (Oct) 49.3 vs. Exp. 50 (Prev. 50.1); Non-Manufacturing PMI (Oct) 49.7 vs. Exp. 50.5 (Prev. 50.2); General PMI (Oct) 49.7 (Prev. 50.7).

Chinese RatingDog PMI - Manufacturing PMI (Oct) 52.0 vs. Exp. 51.6 (Prev. 52.1)

Kioxia Holdings (285A JT) - Shares fell as much as 17% on Monday after its cautious Q3 outlook raised concerns over slowing AI-driven growth. Expects December-quarter operating profit of JPY 2.00tln (prev. 1.99tln Q/Q), indicating limited sequential growth.

CLOSES: Euro Stoxx 50 -1.23% at 6,131, Dax 40 -0.85% at 25,819, FTSE 100 +0.07% at 10,730, CAC 40 -0.01% at 7,969, FTSE MIB -1.00% at 49,501, IBEX 35 -1.09% at 18,653, PSI -0.47% at 9,276, SMI +0.43% at 14,820, AEX -0.68% at 1,134

SECTORS: Healthcare 2.41%, Consumer Stpl 2.35%, Telecoms 2.07%, Energy 0.92%, Consumer Disc 0.40%, Utilities 0.06%, Materials -0.62%, Financials -1.13%, Industrials -1.54%, IT -4.07%

Glencore (GLEN LN) - Co. is reportedly proposing changes to CEO Gary Nagle's remuneration package that would allow him to cash out long-term share awards more quickly in the event of a takeover, according to FT citing sources. (FT)

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY LN) - Co. reportedly launches voluntary redundancy programme across several divisions, with participating employees expected to depart in Q1 2027, according to The Times. (The Times)

National Grid (NG/ LN) - Co. reportedly signs agreement to acquire over 70 acres of land at Dorman Point on Teesside from Teesworks. The facility is expected to supply power to a neighbouring data centre, potentially the largest in Europe, according to Sky News citing sources. (Sky News)

UK Banks - BoE is reportedly considering easing restrictions on higher-risk mortgages, with the Financial Policy Committee examining an increase in the loan-to-income threshold to 5 times household income (prev. 4.5 times), amid pressure from lenders and the government to support the UK housing market, according to FT. (FT)

OTHER UK COMPANIES

BROKER MOVES

Haleon (HLN LN) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Berenberg

Fresenius (FRE GY) - Co. enters exclusive development agreement with WuXi Biologics, securing option rights for up to 37 potential first-to-market biosimilar candidates. Deal could expand its portfolio from 29 marketed and pipeline molecules to as many as 66 over the next decade, targeting over EUR 370bln in originator sales. Describes the agreement as the largest biosimilars development deal announced to date. (EQS)

OTHER GERMAN COMPANIES

BROKER MOVES

Euronext (ENX FP) - Co. intends to nominate David Knibbe as CEO and Chairman of the Managing Board. (Euronext)

French Credit Rating - Fitch revises France's credit rating outlook to negative in an unscheduled review, citing weaker economic growth, higher borrowing costs and a widening fiscal deficit since August 2026. Warns that deteriorating debt dynamics, persistent political fragmentation and a challenging social backdrop will complicate sustained fiscal consolidation. (Fitch)

Thales (HO FP) - Co. secures a USD 53.9mln US Navy contract to deliver two Remote Mine Hunting modules and engineering support, with options potentially increasing the total contract value to USD 196.2mln. (Thales)

TotalEnergies (TTE FP) - Co. signs agreements with PETRONAS Carigali, PTTEP and KUFPEC to acquire a 30% operated interest in the Lang Lebah and B14 offshore gas fields in Sarawak, Malaysia. (TotalEnergies)

OTHER FRENCH COMPANIES

Alstom (ALO FP) - H1 2026 (EUR): Sales 9.3bln (exp. 9.6bln), Orders 11bln (prev. 10.5bln Y/Y). Lowers FY2026/27 guidance, organic sales growth to low-to-mid single digits (prev. guided c. 5%), car production to c. 4,000 units (prev. guided 4,400-4,500), adj. EBIT margin to c. 1% (prev. c. 6.5%), FCF to negative EUR 1.5bln (prev. guided positive). Board initiates review of organic and inorganic options to reduce debt by c. EUR 2bln by September 2027. (Alstom)

Forvia (FRVIA FP) - Q3 2026 (EUR): Revenue 5.08bln (exp. 4.99bln). Confirms FY26 guidance. (Forvia)

BROKER MOVES

Enel (ENEL IM) - 9M Operations Update: Total Installed Capacity Generation 93.2 GW (prev. 91.5 GW Y/Y), Total Production 156.2 TWh (prev. 149.9 TWh Y/Y). (Enel)

EU Gas - US officials are reportedly promoting a proposal to resume Russian natural gas exports to Europe through pipelines crossing Ukraine, using a US intermediary to circumvent European restrictions, according to WSJ citing sources. The plan was discussed by US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff during September visits to Moscow and Kyiv. (WSJ)

Galp Energia (GALP PL) - Portugal's government is considering increasing its 8% stake in the company following the collapse of downstream merger talks with Spain's Moeve, as it seeks to protect strategic energy assets, including the country's only oil refinery. The merger discussions were abandoned amid valuation uncertainty stemming from the US-Iran conflict. (Reuters)

Geopols - Brent fell towards USD 110/bbl and WTI traded near USD 101/bbl after reports that US President Trump favours giving diplomacy with Iran more time before considering renewed military strikes following Tuesday's midterm elections. Trump reportedly conveyed his preference for diplomacy to Israeli PM Netanyahu during a phone call, raising concerns in Israel, according to Axios citing sources. However, Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered senior military commanders to prepare for renewed confrontation with the US and Israel and expand retaliatory options, demanding immediate and effective responses to threats without geographical restrictions, even as Iran's top diplomat signalled progress in diplomatic talks.

Philips (PHIA NA) - Philips announced US commercial availability of its HyperVue Integrated System, combining DeepOCT+NIRS coronary imaging and X1-FFR physiology assessment in a single room-based configuration.

Ryanair (RYA ID) - Q2 2027 (EUR): Revenue 5.7bln (exp. 5.71bln), Profit after Tax 1.61bln (exp. 1.59bln), Passengers 64.5mln (prev. 61.2mln Y/Y). H1: Revenue 10.08bln (prev. 9.82bln Y/Y), Profit after Tax 2.15bln (prev. 2.54bln Y/Y), Passengers 125.8mln (prev. 119mln Y/Y). Expects European short-haul capacity will remain constrained into the early 2030s. Expects FY27 passenger traffic to grow 3% Y/Y to 214mln, with 80% of jet fuel hedged at c. USD 67/bbl through March 2027. Q3 demand remains strong, with fares trending modestly higher Y/Y, although shorter booking windows limit visibility. Expects fuel hedging to help offset a further EUR 300mln increase in EU environmental taxes, higher crew costs and maintenance expenses. Says final FY27 unit costs will depend on unhedged H2 fuel prices and it remains too early to provide meaningful FY27 PAT guidance. Expects jet fuel prices to remain elevated well into 2027 unless the Middle East conflict is resolved swiftly, with its FY28 fuel bill projected to rise by c. EUR 2bln at current forward prices as low-cost hedges expire, and it is reviewing Group-wide expenses, including airport charges, potential temporary pay freezes, lower crewing ratios and increased AI adoption to improve productivity. (Ryanair)

BROKER MOVES

CaixaBank (CABK SM) upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley

Italgas (IG IM) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Berenberg

China-Switzerland - Swiss companies plan to increase investment in China, particularly in pharmaceuticals and machinery manufacturing, while exploring deeper cooperation in finance, watches and the green transition, according to China's Commerce Ministry following a business delegation accompanying Swiss President Parmelin. (MOFCOM)

OTHER SWISS COMPANIES

BROKER MOVES

Bakkafrost (BAKKA NO) - Q3 2026 (DKK): Revenue 1.68bln (exp. 1.74bln), Operational EBIT 128mln (exp. 242.1mln). Faroe Islands Revenue 1.44bln (prev. 1.41bln Y/Y), Scotland Revenue 245mln (prev. 282mln Y/Y). Raises FY26 Faroe Islands smolt release guidance to 20.7mln and maintains Group harvest guidance of 117k tonnes. Expects FY27 harvest volumes of 125k tonnes, comprising 97k tonnes in the Faroe Islands and 28k tonnes in Scotland. (Bakkafrost)

UPM-Kymmene (UPM FH) - Co. says the partial demerger of UPM-Kymmene Corporation has been registered, with WISA Group Plc to be listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. (UPM)

BROKER MOVES

Volvo (VOLVB SS) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Citi

CLOSES: SPX -1.83% at 7,579, NDX -3.46% at 28,385, DJI -1.09% at 51,771, RUT -1.75% at 2,809

SECTORS: Technology -4.24%, Industrials -1.57%, Communication services -1.11%, Consumer discretionary -0.86%, Financials -0.74%, Materials flat, Real estate +0.15%, Health +0.43%, Utilities +0.64%, Consumer staples +1.38%, Energy +1.91%.

Meta Platforms (META) - S&P Global Ratings revises the outlook on Meta's AA- credit rating to negative, citing rising leverage and growing balance sheet pressures from elevated AI-related spending, signalling a potential downgrade within the next two years. (S&P)

S&P 500 (SPX) - Okta (OKTA) will join the S&P 500, replacing Kenvue (KVUE), effective before the market opens on 4th November. The change follows Kimberly-Clark's (KMB) planned acquisition of Kenvue.

This is the standard pre-open European digest, and the read-through runs through three dominant threads rather than any single print. First, the calendar: the piece sits ahead of US midterm elections and an expected RBA hike, and episodes where a major political event lands within sessions tend to compress risk appetite into the event itself, with positioning, not fundamentals, driving the tape. Second, the crude complex: the reports of a diplomatic preference on Iran have knocked the geopolitical premium out of oil, and the established pattern in these headline-driven pullbacks is divergence, energy underperforming while the disinflationary read supports the broader tape and rate-sensitive sectors, with airlines' hedging commentary here a reminder that the fuel transmission into costs operates on a lag, not spot. Third, China: the combination of a policy-anchor shift in money market operations, official PMIs slipping into contraction against an expanding private survey, and a coordinated regulator-bank meeting on equity support fits the familiar sequence of state-directed stabilisation, which has historically produced sharp but often short-lived relief rallies in mainland indices absent concrete follow-through. On the single-stock side, the Alstom guidance cut and the French sovereign outlook revision are the items with the widest read-across, the former to European capital goods margins, the latter to OAT-Bund spread dynamics given France's history of unscheduled fiscal reviews preceding spread widening. The follow-ons are the election result, the RBA decision, and whether the Iranian military rhetoric or the Doha track sets the next oil headline.