European stocks stall on Wednesday as French unrest mutes gains
Business
European stock markets hit pause on Wednesday, with the main STOXX 600 index barely moving.
Ongoing unrest in France has investors uneasy about the country's economy, even though some big companies posted strong results.
The tension in France is making it tough for positive earnings news to lift the overall mood.
Randstad and EssilorLuxottica rally, Carrefour falls
Some companies like Randstad and EssilorLuxottica saw their shares jump after better-than-expected sales, but Carrefour's stock dropped sharply after riots forced it to cut its profit forecast.
Meanwhile, higher-than-expected inflation numbers in the UK are fueling talk of more interest rate hikes, putting extra pressure on British stocks.
All this adds up to a pretty uncertain vibe for European markets right now.