Stock movements
The European Stoxx 600 index fell 0.5 percent at the close after initially rising to its highest levels in more than a week.
Banking shares fell 1.2 percent after Handelsbanken shares fell 12.1 percent due to its failure to achieve profits in the first quarter, and SEB shares fell 3.7 percent after it announced interest income weaker than expected in the first quarter.
Banking stocks led sector losses, falling 2 percent, and Allfunds Bank lost 11 percent after a report stated that its manager had abandoned talks about a possible sale.
UBS shares fell 2.9 percent after bank executives expressed major concerns about the Swiss government's plan to impose stricter capital requirements.
Technology stocks rose 1.3 percent after ASM International jumped 11 percent after the chip processing equipment supplier raised its second-quarter revenue forecast.
European stocks achieved excellent performance in the previous two quarters before stopping in April as geopolitical tensions and concerns about a weak earnings season outweighed optimism about an imminent cut in interest rates.
Evotec shares fell 32 percent after the German biotechnology company announced disappointing forecasts for 2024.
Roche Pharmaceuticals shares lost 3.3 percent after first-quarter sales fell by six percent due to the loss of revenues related to the Corona virus.
Norwegian Insurance Store Brand shares rose 7.5 percent after it announced good results in the first quarter and a share buyback program.
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