(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 16 feb - European shares closed mixed supported by gains in the defense and financial sectors, while trading volumes remained light due to the market holiday in the US.

The advance in banking and financial stocks represents a rebound following a period of volatility linked to concerns over AI disruptions. Investors are increasingly looking past these worries, focusing instead on the broader monetary policy outlook.

On the data front, Eurostat reported a 1.4% monthly decline in December industrial production for the eurozone, a sharper fall than the 0.8% drop seen in the EU.

Looking ahead, market participants are bracing for a series of key economic indicators, including minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday. These releases are expected to provide further clarity on the potential timing of interest rate cuts later this year.

The London FTSE 100 closed up 0.26% at 10,473.69 points, the Frankfurt DAX lost 0.33% at 24,821.60 points, the Paris CAC 40 gained 0.06% at 8,316.50 points, while in Milan the FTSE MIB shed 0.03% at 45,419.20 points, and in Madrid the IBEX 35.

closed 1.09% higher at 17,865.70 points.

(RADIOCOR) 16-02-26 18:05:20 (0446) 5 NNNN