Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey takes part in the financial stability report press conference at the Bank of England in London on Aug. 7, 2025. London (Credit: Jordan Pettitt/AFP)
European shares edged higher to touch a two-week high on Thursday, as investors assessed corporate earnings and economic data.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 0.2%, as of 0710 GMT, while the UK's blue-chip FTSE 100 fell 0.2%.
Britain's economy grew by a faster-than-expected 0.3 percent in the second quarter, official figures showed. Economists polled by Reuters, as well as the Bank of England, had forecast a 0.1 percent growth for the April-June period.
Global stocks have rallied recently, driven by firming bets of a U.S. interest rate cut next month, leading to record highs on Wall Street.
Among individual stocks, Embracer slumped 24.1% and was the top laggard on the STOXX 600 index after the gaming company's first-quarter operating profit missed estimates.
Carlsberg fell 4.8 percent after the Danish brewer missed half-year profit and volume forecasts, and said it did not expect any improvement in the consumer environment for the remaining year.
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