European shares closed mostly higher on Monday 2 November, recovering from a weak end to the previous week. Spain led the advance, France and Italy followed, and London recorded a fourth consecutive gain, in a session where most major benchmarks finished in positive territory.

Madrid leads, Paris and Milan follow

The IBEX 35 in Madrid closed 1.63% higher at 18,957.80, ending a three-session slide. The CAC 40 in Paris gained 0.98% to 8,047.69, and the FTSE MIB in Milan rose 0.90% to 49,947.94. The EURO STOXX 50 advanced 0.73% to 6,176.06, Germany's DAX gained 0.63% to 25,981.09, and the broader STOXX Europe 600 added 0.42% to 649.44. The FTSE 100 in London rose 0.35% to 10,767.22, its fourth straight gain. Switzerland and the Netherlands were the exceptions among the major markets tracked, with the SMI edging down 0.05% and the AEX down 0.17%.

Miners and banks rise, energy lags

Basic resources led the sector gains, rising 1.72% as metals rebounded, followed by autos and parts, up 1.44%, and banks, up 0.96%. Energy shares were the weakest part of the market, falling 2.3%, while telecoms eased 0.56% and health care slipped 0.6%. The pattern left a clear split within the session: rate-sensitive and commodity-linked names rose, while energy lagged the rest of the market.

Breadth, with a note of caution

The gains were broad rather than confined to one country, with the MSCI Europe index up 0.78% to 2,773.44. One session does not establish a trend; the next tests will come from earnings, economic data and central-bank signals later in the week.

Sources: The Edge market wrap, 2 November 2026; SKN Finance market overview, 2 November 2026; Reuters close report for the FTSE 100. Closes measured against Friday 30 October closes.