European equities rise on tech earnings and falling oil prices

European stock indexes edged higher on Thursday, with the STOXX 600 up 0.3% at 9:30 a.m. The UK FTSE slipped 0.10% to 10,450 points, while France’s CAC gained 0.02% to 8,385 and Germany’s DAX rose 0.27% to 24,808. Most Asian markets also posted gains; the MSCI Asia‑Pacific index climbed 1.3%, and shares in India, Shanghai, Japan and South Korea rose between 0.2% and 5.8%, whereas Australia and Hong Kong saw modest declines.

The rally was driven by better‑than‑expected quarterly results from Micron Technology, whose stock jumped almost 15%, pushing the broader tech sector higher amid renewed AI enthusiasm. This uplift helped U.S. futures, with the S&P 500 up about 0.5% and the Nasdaq about 1.8%.

Oil prices fell after a recent cease‑fire agreement eased shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude dropped 1.11% to $72.90 a barrel and U.S. WTI fell 0.68% to $69.85, supporting gains in airline and tourism stocks.