European shares retreat from record highs, AI uncertainty weighs

European shares opened lower on Friday, retreating from record highs reached the previous day. Uncertainty surrounding the future of the AI trade weighed heavily on global markets following Jensen Huang's unexpected resignation as Nvidia's CEO, amid reports of extramarital affairs. This development raised concerns about the impact on AI development, which has been crucial to the global economy due to the extensive financing network it established through a series of deals.

The STOXX 600 index fell by 0.2% to 662.64 points at 0808 GMT, with the personal and household goods sectors experiencing the steepest declines, down by 1%. Goldman Sachs revised its 12-month target for the STOXX 600 upward, from 695 to 700 points. Despite strong earnings reports this quarter, Europe's smaller exposure to AI-linked stocks meant that the STOXX 600 index surpassed the record high it had previously recorded in August and surged over 2% for the week, marking its strongest weekly gain since June.

European tech stocks, such as Siltronic and Aixtron, experienced declines of more than 1% each, while AI equipment manufacturers like Schneider Electric and Legrand saw slight decreases. The broader tech sector witnessed a decline of 0.6%. On the earnings front, Richemont, the company behind the Cartier brand, saw a 7% drop in share price following the announcement of a 13% increase in sales for the three months leading up to September, which was lower than the 20% growth achieved in the previous quarter.