European markets rise as earnings stay in focus; Santander up 8.3%

European markets traded higher on Wednesday as earnings beats drove stock gains across various sectors.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed 0.47% higher, with sectors and bourses mixed.

Traders are assessing a host of earnings from the likes of Handelsbanken, AkzoNobel and Credit Agricole.

Banco Santander topped Stoxx 600 gains, up 8.3%, after the Spanish lender reported record quarterly profit. Pharma giant GSK closed 7.6% higher after hiking its long-term sales guidance and posting higher full-year core operating profit, while Denmark’s Novo Nordisk gained nearly 4.54% after beating fourth-quarter profit estimates amid continued strong demand for its obesity drugs.

French oil major TotalEnergies also beat forecasts despite its 21% drop in full-year adjusted net income. Shares closed up 1.7%.

Asia-Pacific markets were mostly higher on Wednesday, though mainland China’s CSI 300 Index closed 0.58% lower as trading reopened following the Lunar New Year holiday, during which the Chinese government announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports.

Stateside, S&P 500 futures fell after Google-parent Alphabet posted disappointing revenue, following a positive session for the major averages.