23.02.202613:13:35UTC+00European Stocks Edge Lower Amid Tariff Uncertainty

European equities traded flat to lower on Monday, with the Euro Stoxx 50 steady at 6,130 and the broader Stoxx 600 down 0.3% to 629. Investors remained uncertain over whether US President Donald Trump’s new 15% tariffs would take effect on Tuesday in the UK, the EU, or both. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that existing agreements with roughly 20 countries would remain in place, but Andy Haldane of the British Chambers of Commerce warned that the tariffs could still apply in the absence of further clarification. At the same time, a senior EU lawmaker called on the European Parliament to delay a vote on legislation enacting the EU’s side of the deal.

In corporate news, pharmaceutical heavyweight Novo Nordisk slumped more than 13% after posting disappointing results from a key weight-loss trial, while Victoria PLC dropped 7% after warning that its fourth-quarter revenues would fall short of expectations. By contrast, utility group Enel surged 6.5% after announcing plans to invest €53 billion by 2028, and postal operator PostNL gained 2.2% after forecasting its 2026 operating earnings would be broadly in line with last year’s level.