Newsquawk Daily European Equity Opening News - 19th October 2026

APAC stocks were mixed following Friday's tech-led sell-off on Wall Street, with Japanese and Korean stocks underperforming amid continued pressure on AI and semiconductor names. However, losses were pared as US equity futures recovered alongside a pullback in crude prices. Sentiment was also supported by Trump's latest Russia-Ukraine peace efforts and easing of restrictions on Russian energy, while Chinese activity data generally topped expectations but prompted little reaction. ASX 200 bucked the regional weakness, supported by Cleanaway Waste Management surging after EQT agreed to acquire the Co. Elsewhere, RBA's Kent noted evidence of rising neutral interest rates in Australia and abroad. Nikkei 225 and KOSPI underperformed as tech stocks caught up with Friday's losses in their US counterparts, although the indices pared earlier losses of over 2%. For Japan, BoJ Governor Ueda also spoke overnight but offered little fresh. Shanghai Comp was marginally softer despite Chinese activity data generally topping expectations, although Fixed Asset Investment remained weak. Hang Seng was closed for the Chung Yeung Festival.

Chinese Activity Data - GDP Growth Rate (Q3 YY) 4.5% vs. Exp. 4.4% (Prev. 4.3%); GDP Growth Rate (Q3 QQ) 1.2% vs. Exp. 1.1% (Prev. 0.9%); Industrial Production (Sep YY) 5.5% vs. Exp. 5.4% (Prev. 5.2%); Retail Sales (Sep YY) 1.1% vs. Exp. 0.5% (Prev. 0.4%); Fixed Asset Investment (YTD) (Sep YY) -7.2% vs. Exp. -7.3% (Prev. -7.2%).

DeepSeek - DeepSeek releases V4.1-Flash-1017, a model that has “stronger benchmark performance, faster task completion, and shorter outputs than the previous version.” (X)

SoftBank (9984 JT) - SoftBank is reportedly in preliminary talks to acquire Allied Universal from Warburg Pincus and La Caisse in a deal potentially valuing the security firm at up to USD 18bln ex-debt, Bloomberg reports. The acquisition would expand SoftBank’s investments in AI and robotics.

CLOSES: Euro Stoxx 50 +0.57% at 6,204, Dax 40 +0.94% at 25,622, FTSE 100 +0.38% at 10,882, CAC 40 +0.28% at 7,957, FTSE MIB +0.93% at 49,857, IBEX 35 +0.82% at 19,336, PSI +1.01% at 9,468, SMI +0.34% at 14,399, AEX +0.91% at 1,143

SECTORS: Consumer Stpl 1.44%, Telecoms 1.34%, Utilities 1.23%, Energy 0.92%, Industrials 0.86%, Financials 0.85%, Consumer Disc 0.69%, Materials 0.59%, IT 0.22%, Healthcare -0.21%

Antofagasta (ANTO LN) - Workers at the Co.'s Centinela copper mine have voted to accept a new wage offer, ending the strike. (Newswires)

Barclays (BARC LN) - BoE's PRA is examining whether Barclays traders misrepresented illiquid private credit loan exposures to reduce capital requirements following an insider complaint, the FT reports. (FT)

GSK (GSK LN) - GSK said risvutatug rezetecan showed positive anti-tumour activity and manageable safety in patients with relapsed extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. The Phase Ib EMBOLD PanTumour-101 trial recorded confirmed response rates of 61% at 8mg/kg and 32% at 6mg/kg. The results support the 8mg/kg dose being evaluated in GSK’s global Phase III EMBOLD SCLC-301 study. (GSK)

UK Housing - Rightmove says the average newly listed London property rose 2.5% in October (prev. 1.8%). (Rightmove)

Unilever (ULVR LN) - India's food regulator says Hindustan Unilever’s ‘Horlicks’s Mother’s Plus Kesar 400 g BIB’ made misleading claims over “happy birth weight”, while its ‘Horlicks Women’s Plus’ products listed “improves bone health”, “healthy muscles”, “no added sugar” as benefits. (X)

OTHER UK COMPANIES

BROKER MOVES

DHL (DHL GY) - Prelim. Q3 2026 (EUR): Revenue 22.6bln (exp. 21.7bln), Group EBIT 1.71bln (prev. 1.48bln Y/Y). Raises FY26 guidance, now sees Group EBIT to exceed 7bln (prev. guided "more than" 6.5bln), EBIT for DHL divisions "more than" 6.4bln (prev. guided "more than" 5.9bln), FCF (excl. Net M&A) "more than" 3.2bln (prev. guided "around" 3bln). (DHL)

Rheinmetall (RHM GY) - Co. is reportedly the unnamed investor behind a small stake taken in Rock Tech Lithium (RCK CA) and its German smelter, Bloomberg reports. (Bloomberg)

OTHER GERMAN COMPANIES

BROKER MOVES

Aumovio (AMV0 GY) initiated with Buy at Citi

Luxury Names - France's Saturday cost-of-living protests drew around 550,000 people, with some 1,800 arrested and more than 500 police, gendarmes and firefighters injured, according to the Interior Minister; one demonstrator died and Limoges' historic town hall was torched. Clashes, fires and looting hit Paris, Lyon and other cities, and President Macron and PM Lecornu said violence would not be tolerated. (Newswires)

OTHER FRENCH COMPANIES

Rubis (RUI FP) - Co. announces a proposal to convert the Group into a joint-stock company with a Management Board and a Supervisory Board. (Rubis)

BROKER MOVES

Euronext (ENX FP) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citi

Ackermans & van Haaren (ACKB BB) - Co. raises its stake in Von Moer Logistics to 39.77%. (Ackermans & van Haaren)

Bawag Group AG (BG AV) - Q3 2026 (EUR): EPS 3.18 (exp. 3.09), Revenue 599.1mln, +8% Y/Y; Net Profit 247.5mln, +13% Y/Y. Confirms FY26 targets. PTSB acquisition remains subject to court and regulatory approvals with potential closing expected in Q4'26 / Q1'27. (Bawag)

BMPS (BMPS IM), Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP IM) - Goldstone Capital, a shareholder in BMPS, says it supports Intesa's takeover bid, saying the offer “is in the best interests of the shareholders as a whole and preferable to any proposed alternatives over the long term.” (Bloomberg)

Santander (SAN SM), Nvidia (NVDA) - Santander agrees with Nvidia for a three-year collaboration framework to build AI capabilities using Nvidia's AI infrastructure. (Santander)

Stellantis (STLAM IM/STLAP FP) - Co.'s Chief Engineering and Technology Officer says that there is room for growth and that they plan to continue hiring more engineers throughout Europe and the US. (Newswires)

BROKER MOVES

Alcon (ALC SW) - Alcon announced FDA approval of Brytly Redness Reliever Eye Drops, which reduce eye redness within one minute and provide effects lasting up to 12 hours. The product is expected to become available at major US retailers and online in the coming months, with additional markets to follow.

Nestle (NESN SW) - India's food regulator says the Co.'s “resource renal vanilla flavour powder” was intended as a dietary supplement to manage a medical condition but the Co. neither sought prior approval nor displayed a label to indicate if the product was vegetarian or not-vegetarian. (X)

Novartis (NOVN SW) - Co. has terminated its mid-stage trial of Fabhalta in lupus nephritis due to strategic considerations, according to a federal clinical trials database. (Endpoints)

OTHER SWISS COMPANIES

DKSH (DKSH SW) - Co. agrees to acquire NewBridge Pharmaceuticals for USD 390mln. (DKSH)

Lindt & Sprungli (LISN SW) - Co. announces that Group CEO Lechner will leave, with Weisskopf to assume interim CEO with immediate effect. (Lindt)

BROKER MOVES

Avolta (AVOL SW) initiated with Buy at Citi

Assa Abloy (ASSAB SS) - Co. signs an agreement to sell HID's PKI business unit to Vista Equity Partners. (Assa Abloy)

EQT (EQT SS) - EQT Infrastructure VI agreed to acquire 100% of Cleanaway Waste Management for AUD 3.095/shr in cash. The offer implies an enterprise valuation of approximately AUD 9.3bln, and represents a 32.1% premium to Cleanaway’s closing price on 12th August. The consideration remains subject to potential dividend adjustments. (EQT)

Mowi (MOWI NO) - Q3 2026 (EUR): EBIT 275mln (exp. 198.6mln), Total Harvest Volume 186k tonnes (prev. 166k tonnes Y/Y). (Mowi)

Truecaller (TRUEB SS) - Q3 2026 (SEK): Net Sales 464mln (exp. 433.2mln), Ad Revenue 245.6mln (prev. 290.2mln Y/Y). In other news, the Co. vigorously challenges the claims regarding the ongoing transfer pricing audit in India. (Truecaller)

Zealand Pharma (ZEAL DC) - Co. announces positive topline results from the multiple ascending dose part of Phase 1 trial with Kv1.3 ion channel blocker ZP9830. (Zealand Pharma)

BROKER MOVES

ALK-Abello (ALKB DC) reinitiated with Buy at Danske Bank

CLOSES: SPX -1.10% at 7,659, NDX -2.50% at 29,188, DJI -0.34% at 52,002, RUT -1.63% at 2,722

SECTORS: Technology -2.54%, Communication services -2.45%, Consumer discretionary -1.17%, Health -0.26%, Industrials flat, Real estate +0.38%, Financials +0.49%, Materials +0.68%, Consumer staples +1.31%, Utilities +1.4%, Energy +2.47%.

Celanese (CE) - Celanese announced immediate global price increases for its liquid crystal polymer products, citing strong demand, higher feedstock and raw material costs, supply chain disruptions and logistics constraints. The increases will take effect immediately, or as customer contracts permit.

Microsoft (MSFT), Nscale (NSCL) - Microsoft has withdrawn from a UK data centre agreement with Nscale for its Loughton site in Essex amid power constraints, according to the Telegraph. Nscale said it is exploring alternative power sources, and that its other contracts remain unaffected. The setback comes as Nscale seeks to raise up to USD 3bln in an IPO, potentially as soon as this month.