European stocks finish higher, posting weekly gains as U.S. technology shares struggle

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As London and European traders head home, the major European stock indices are closing higher across the board. The gains also cap a positive trading week for all five major indices, offering a contrast to the selling in the broader U.S. stock indices.The UK’s FTSE 100 led the weekly advance with a gain of 3.13%. Germany and France followed with gains near 2%, while Italy lagged but still finished modestly higher.Across the Atlantic, the Dow is holding onto a weekly gain, but the S&P and Nasdaq indices are lower. The more concentrated Nasdaq 100 is taking the biggest hit.European stocks close higher across the boardThe closing levels show:Germany’s DAX: +239.99 points, or +0.95%, at 25,622.62.France’s CAC 40: +21.98 points, or +0.28%, at 7,956.69.UK’s FTSE 100: +41.57 points, or +0.38%, at 10,881.91.Spain’s Ibex 35: +148.60 points, or +0.77%, at 19,326.31.Italy’s FTSE MIB: +459.61 points, or +0.93%, at 49,857.17.Germany and Italy led today’s advance. For Italy, the strong finish helped rescue an otherwise weaker week.For the trading week:Germany’s DAX:+2.13%.France’s CAC 40:+1.97%.UK’s FTSE 100:+3.13%.Spain’s Ibex 35:+1.54%.Italy’s FTSE MIB:+0.22%.U.S. technology shares remain under pressureU.S. stocks are showing a different picture as European trading winds down. The Dow is essentially unchanged, while losses deepen as the focus shifts toward technology and growth stocks.At the snapshot:Dow Industrial Average: down 1.02 points, essentially unchanged, at 52,182.21.S&P 500: down 46.47 points, or 0.60%, at 7,697.59.Nasdaq Composite: down 363.14 points, or 1.36%, at 26,349.88.Nasdaq 100: down 486.97 points, or 1.63%, at 29,448.63.Russell 2000: down 29.32 points, or 1.06%, at 2,737.95.The weekly performance through the snapshot highlights that divergence:Dow Industrial Average:+1.02%.S&P 500:−1.44%.Nasdaq Composite:−3.70%.Nasdaq 100:−4.63%.The Dow has held up. The broader market has struggled. Technology shares have struggled even more.European yields move higherEuropean equities advanced despite higher benchmark 10-year yields. France led the increase:Germany:3.433%, up 2.4 basis points.France:4.816%, up 3.6 basis points.UK:5.383%, up 0.9 basis point.Spain:4.044%, up 1.5 basis points.Italy:4.502%, up 0.9 basis point.In the U.S., the Treasury curve is steepening, with the 2-year yield slightly lower and longer yields moving higher:2-year:4.7465%, down 0.45 basis point.5-year:4.9113%, up 1.43 basis points.10-year:5.1103%, up 2.33 basis points.30-year:5.4441%, up 1.61 basis points.The U.S. 10-year yield above 5.10% keeps the interest-rate backdrop in focus as technology shares come under pressure.Dollar mostly lower; precious metals little changedThe dollar is mostly lower in the supplied snapshot. The New Zealand dollar leads the gains, followed by the Australian dollar and British pound:EURUSD:1.1223, up 0.04%.GBPUSD:1.3321, up 0.36%.AUDUSD:0.6945, up 0.38%.NZDUSD:0.5648, up 0.52%.USDCHF:0.8242, down 0.30%.USDCAD:1.4159, down 0.17%.USDJPY:158.06, up 0.05%, a modest exception to the weaker-dollar tone.Gold and silver are little changed, while copper and bitcoin are higher:Spot gold: near $4,169.74, down 0.02%.Silver: near $57.37, down 0.01%.Copper futures: up 0.43%, near $6.585.Bitcoin: near $81,485, up 0.52%.As a review, Europe finishes the week with gains across its major stock markets. In the U.S., the Dow is holding up, but sellers remain in control of the Nasdaq indices as the final session of the week continues. A shift in sentiment is punishing AI and chip stocks in the US, while the flow of funds, heads back into the more stable Dow and European companies.   This article was written by Greg Michalowski at investinglive.com.