European Stocks Close Best Year Since 2021 Near Record Highs

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By Macarena Munoz Montijano and Sagarika Jaisinghani

December 31, 2025 at 8:17 AM UTC

Updated on

December 31, 2025 at 1:27 PM UTC

French and UK shares slipped in thin trading, while the European benchmark wrapped up the year near an all-time peak.

France’s CAC 40 fell 0.2%, while the FTSE 100 was down about 0.1% after trading for half a session. The UK benchmark rallied 22% in 2025, its best year since 2009.