12:11 PM EDT, 04/14/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The European stock markets rose Monday as the Stoxx Europe 600 climbed 2.6%, Germany's DAX 40 nudged up 2.6%, the FTSE 100 in London advanced 2%, France's CAC 40 was up 2.4%, and the Swiss Market Index gained 2.6%.

The European Union exported 313.4 billion euros ($356.36 billion) of medicinal and pharmaceutical products in 2024, up roughly 14% from the previous year, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU. Imports increased 0.5% to 119.7 billion euros.

The Euro area firms reported a 12% net decrease in interest rates on bank loans, indicating the easing of monetary policy is being forwarded to the firms, the European Central Bank said, citing the Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises.

In the UK, hiring activity fell again in March amid recruiters reporting weaker confidence regarding economic outlook, tighter client budgets, and fewer job openings, according to the latest KPMG and REC UK report on jobs survey, compiled by S&P Global. There was a steeper increase in candidate availability due to redundancies and reduced recruitment activity.

US sales market makes up more than 10% of all of Germany's exports and nearly 24% of pharmaceutical exports went to the US in 2024, according to Germany's Federal Statistical Office. US products make up 7% of the country's total imports.

Shares of Smurfit Westrock climbed about 5% in Monday trading on the FTSE. The company invested about $3.5 million in social and environmental initiatives in Colombia in 2024. The investments covered education, income generation and environmental management initiatives for 21,800 people in more than 30 municipalities.

ConvaTec Group shares were up 4.9% after the company said it expects an improved sales outlook for its InnovaMatrix medical devices after the US government postponed local coverage determinations, or LCDs. The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced on April 11 that the LCDs for skin substitute grafts/cellular and tissue-based products will be postponed.

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