Gloomy earnings hit European stocks, BP jumps

European shares slipped on Tuesday as disappointing earnings reports from Diageo and Bayer took the shine off a jump in growth-linked cyclical stocks, while investors awaited signs of progress on more US fiscal stimulus.

The world's largest spirits maker, Diageo Plc, slid 6.3pc as it reported a bigger-than-expected decline in underlying net sales across all markets except North America, bucking a trend which has seen alcohol producers propped up by supermarket sales during lockdowns.

German drugs and pesticides group Bayer also fell 3.6pc as moves to settle lawsuits over its Roundup weedkiller helped drive a 9.5 billion euro ($11.2 billion) loss.

Energy major BP by contrast jumped 7pc as it used results to bring forward plans to speed its reinvention as a lower carbon company, funded in part by $25 billion in asset sales by 2025.

Oil & gas led gains among industrial sectors with a 2.4pc rise, while automakers and banks rose between 1.5pc and 2pc.

The pan-European STOXX 600 slipped 0.2pc overall, with UK and German stocks both down.

After a stunning recovery since March lows that has seen the STOXX 600 climb nearly 36pc, European stocks have wobbled in recent weeks on concerns about a resurgence in coronavirus cases.

"We're already trading at high levels in equity markets, from here on it's going to be more challenging," said Elwin de Groot, head of macro strategy at Rabobank.

"The economy has been recovering in the last couple of months, but it remains to be seen whether activity can make headway, given the geopolitical situation and in some areas new lockdowns, although targeted, are being implemented."

Doubts over the progress of a US coronavirus aid package and a diplomatic tussle over Chinese tech companies' operations in the United States also kept investors on edge.

Banking-heavy Italian and Spanish indexes were both higher, as data showed Italy standing out as the main beneficiary of the European Central Bank's efforts to support a virus-stricken euro zone economy.

Of the 57pc of companies listed on the STOXX 600 that have reported so far, nearly 62pc have topped analysts' much-reduced expectations for results, according to Refinitiv data.

Chipmaker Infineon jumped 4.7pc after its CEO Reinhard Ploss signalled "concrete signs of recovery within the automotive sector".

Hugo Boss gained 2.8pc as it said it had returned to strong growth in China in June and saw online sales jump 74pc in the second quarter.