European stock indexes were mixed in cautious trading

Software stocks continued to rise, while utility stocks declined, and the pan-European Stoxx 600 index traded flat. The German DAX index remained flat, with gains in software and automotive stocks offset by losses in industrial stocks. In Paris, the French CAC 40 index rose 0.2%, as luxury stocks rebounded slightly after a sharp sell-off earlier this week. The Italian FTSE MIB index rose 0.2%, thanks to broad gains among banking stocks. In London, the UK FTSE 100 index edged down 0.1%, driven by declines in energy utility stocks, with SSE and Centrica falling 3.2% and 3.4% respectively. Spain’s IBEX 35 index fell 0.2%, while the Netherlands’ semiconductor-focused AEX index slipped 0.2%.