European shares fall as Airbus hammers aerospace shares, tech slips

By Jesus Calero and Shashwat Chauhan

(Reuters) -European shares declined on Tuesday as Airbus tumbled after a profit warning and dragged down aerospace-related stocks, while technology shares slumped tracking the overnight selloff on Wall Street.

The continent-wide fell 0.3% by 0819 GMT.

Airbus tumbled nearly 11%, and was among the biggest drags on the index, after Europe’s largest aerospace group cut its industrial and financial targets and took a hefty 900 million euro ($965 million) charge for its troubled space activities.

Its profit warning and forecast for fewer plane deliveries dragged jet-engine manufacturers Rolls-Royce (OTC:) and MTU Aero Engines (OTC:) lower.

Indeed, the wider STOXX Europe aerospace and defence index slid 5.1%, on track for its biggest one-day drop since November 2021.

The tech sub-index, which houses some of Europe’s biggest chip-related firms, dropped 1.4%, tracking the Nvidia-led pullback in U.S. stocks. [.N]

Still, some market strategists spotted an opportunity in tech stocks, whose 14% gain so far this year places it among the best-performing sectors in Europe.

“We’re seeing a pretty healthy broadening of a longer-term equity rally … tech stocks had an amazing run and it’s nothing but healthy that they’re taking a bit of a pause giving opportunity to investors to catch their breath and reposition,” said Tom Gehlen, senior market strategist at SG Kleinwort Hambros.

The market’s focus would remain on the first round of French parliamentary elections later in the week.

Paris stock market operator Euronext’s CEO said the prospect of a politically extreme party with little or no government experience reaching power is worrying investors.

France’s benchmark slipped 0.6% amidst the broader sell-off.

Among other stocks, Germany’s Merck shed 9.7%, after the drug maker said it has stopped its trials for xevinapant in advanced head and neck cancer.

On the flip side, French lab testing firm Eurofins gained 5.3% after falling as much as 25% on Monday when short seller Muddy Waters (NYSE:) took a short position in the company.

UK-based insurer Admiral Group (LON:) rose 2.2% after brokerage Berenberg upgraded its rating to “buy”.