European stocks rose on Wednesday, supported by lower oil prices and increased investor optimism after US President Donald Trump indicated significant progress toward a comprehensive peace agreement with Iran.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index rose 1.3% to 617.74 points, marking its second consecutive session of gains. Britain's FTSE 100 climbed 1.5% to 10,376.99 points, Germany's DAX advanced 1.3% to 24,719.44 points, and France's CAC 40 gained approximately 1.3% to 8,173.32 points.
Energy-dependent Europe lags behind other major global markets that have hit record highs, buoyed by optimism related to artificial intelligence.
Shares in Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk jumped by about 7% after the company announced that its first-quarter revenue and adjusted operating profit exceeded expectations, prompting it to slightly raise its forecast for the full year.
In contrast, shares of Norwegian energy group Equinor plunged 5%, while shares of German automaker BMW rose 4.6% after it released its quarterly results.
