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European markets close mixed as banking stocks decline
European stock markets closed mixed during Thursday's trading session, October 9, with London-listed shares of HSBC falling 5% following a privatization offer for its Hong Kong subsidiary, Hang Seng Bank.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index fell 2.48 points, or 0.43%, to close at 571.31.
The German DAX index closed up 14.12 points, or 0.06%, to 24,611.25.
The UK's FTSE 100 index fell 39.47 points, or 0.41%, to close at 9,509.40.
The French CAC 40 index fell 18.77 points, or 0.23%, to close at 8,041.36.
The offer impacted European banking stocks, which ended Thursday's session down 1.4%.
Shares of Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk fell 1.3% after the company announced plans to acquire US biotechnology company Acero Therapeutics.
Under the deal, Novo Nordisk will pay $54 per share, valuing Acero at $4.7 billion. The acquisition also includes a conditional value option of $6 per share, potentially adding another $500 million to the offer.
Acero's shares, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, rose about 16.7% on Thursday.
Market attention remained focused on France, after President Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday that he would appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours, following the resignation of Sébastien Lecornu on Monday.
