By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
LONDON (MarketWatch)--Earnings reports were high on the agenda
in Europe on Wednesday, moving shares of prominent companies such
as Peugeot SA, Airbus Group NV and Barclays PLC.
Risers
ASML Holding NV soared 14% after the Dutch semiconductor
equipment maker confirmed that developments in its extreme
ultraviolet, or EUV, technologies, were ahead of targets.
Peugeot SA jumped 6%. The French car maker said it returned to
profit in the first half of the year for the first time in three
years.
Airbus Group NV rallied 3% after the world's second-largest
maker of commercial jetliners said first-half net profit rose
50%.
Barclays PLC (BCS) added 4.2% after the bank said it swung to a
profit in the second quarter. Chief Executive Antony Jenkins said
the company is making progress in slimming the business, an effort
to make it less dependent on its investment banking division.
BBVA SA (BBVA) rose 1.1%, after the Spanish lender reported a
second-quarter profit that was broadly in line with expectations.
Profit fell sharply as the bank was hit by losses in its South
American units and a slide in trading income.
Bayer AG advanced 1.5% after the German drugs and
crop-protection-products maker said second-quarter profit climbed
14%.
Decliners
Total SA (TOT) slumped 4.9%. The French oil giant reported a 12%
drop in second-quarter adjusted profit and said it's preparing for
the possible impact of tougher sanctions on Russia.
Other oil producers were also falling, with shares of Royal
Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB) off 1.8%, Eni SpA 2.1% lower and BP PLC (BP)
down 0.5%. BP warned on Tuesday that further economic restrictions
on Russia could hurt its business.
Schneider Electric SE erased 4.3% after the French
electrical-equipment maker said first-half profit was again hit by
the strength of the euro.
Osram Licht AG slid 8.3% after the German lighting maker late
Tuesday laid out restructuring measures aimed at reducing costs
that will involve shedding around 7,800 jobs. The measures are
necessary "against the backdrop of the rapidly declining market for
traditional products in general illumination," the company
said.
Cement maker Holcim Ltd. lost 4.8% after its second-quarter
earnings missed expectations.
Another cement maker, HeidelbergCement AG dropped 2.8%. The
German company also missed second-quarter earnings
expectations.
Carlsberg AS fell 2.7% after Deutsche Bank cut the Danish brewer
to sell from hold.
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