European Shares Mixed Ahead Of Key Events

European stocks traded mixed on Monday as investors awaited cues from the U.K. Spring Budget, Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s congressional testimony and the interest rate decision from the European Central Bank.

In economic news, a survey showed the Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence Index rose from -12.9 in February to -10.5 in March.

The pan European STOXX 600 was up 0.1 percent at 498.08 after rising 0.6 percent on Friday.

The German DAX was marginally higher, France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.1 percent and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 eased 0.2 percent.

ING advanced 1.4 percent. The Dutch banking major announced that it plans to buy back up to 50 million euros of common shares.

Spanish banker Banco Santander was slightly lower on a Bloomberg report that it has cut about 320 jobs in the U.S. to focus more on digital operations.

British healthcare software specialist Craneware gained 2 percent as it reported an 8 percent rise in revenue during the second half of last year.

Halma was marginally lower. The health tech company announced that it has acquired Rovers Medical Devices BV.

Low-cost airline Wizz Air Holdings dropped 1 percent after reporting a 3.3 percent fall in the load factor last month.

Boeing supplier Senior declined 1.1 percent despite posting strong financial results for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Insurer Aviva was little changed after buying underwriting syndicate Probitas for 242 million pounds ($306.2 million).

BNP Paribas added 1.5 percent in Paris. The French financial services major has announced the launch of a share repurchase program of 1.055 billion euros.

German chemicals firm Evonik added 1.5 percent after an announcement that it would cut up to 2,000 jobs globally by 2026 in order to reduce costs.

Henkel dropped more than 2 percent after the chemical and consumer goods company warned of slower sales growth this year.

Delivery Hero shares soared 4.5 percent. The online food ordering and delivery company has launched a finance transaction that will amend and…