European shares retreat from record highs after Nvidia CEO’s exit

European stocks retreated from record highs on Friday following Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's unexpected resignation amidst allegations of extramarital affairs. The STOXX 600 fell 0.2% to 662.51 points at 0858 GMT, with the tech sector down 0.9%. Chip companies like Infineon and Aixtron dropped around 2%, while AI equipment makers such as Schneider Electric and Legrand were slightly lower.

Analyst Fiona Cincotta noted that Europe's smaller exposure to AI stocks makes it less vulnerable to the volatility caused by Nvidia's turmoil, though the tech sector is under pressure from the fallout. Despite today's losses, the STOXX 600 had previously touched record levels for the first time since August and surged over 2% for the week, marking its strongest gain since June.

In contrast, the US-based S&P 500 remains more than 3% away from its all-time highs. Goldman Sachs has raised its 12-month forecast for the STOXX 600 to 700 points from 695. Robust earnings this quarter have helped bolster European equities, with Wise Group leading the benchmark index up 4.7% after reporting a 23% rise in half-year net revenue.

However, Richemont fell 6.5% after issuing weaker-than-expected jewelry sales data, pulling down the luxury sector, which declined 2% as Kering and LVMH also posted lower-than-expected results. Italian insurer Generali fell 1.5% after meeting operating profit expectations but missing analyst estimates. The market's uncertainty was further exacerbated by Brent crude prices edging higher, amid ongoing tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Later, the euro zone's third-quarter GDP data will be released at 1000 GMT.