{"id":58335,"date":"2026-02-09T04:38:45","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T08:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T04:38:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T08:38:45","slug":"european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/","title":{"rendered":"European Markets Gain on M&#038;A, Pharma News; Japan Forms Coalition"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/#InPost_Acquired_in_Multi-Billion_Euro_Deal\" >InPost Acquired in Multi-Billion Euro Deal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/#Pharma_Sector_Sees_Volatility_as_Hims_Scraps_Wegovy_Copycat\" >Pharma Sector Sees Volatility as Hims Scraps Wegovy Copycat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/#UniCredit_Plans_Massive_Capital_Return\" >UniCredit Plans Massive Capital Return<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/#Japans_LDP_and_Ishin_Continue_Coalition_Talks\" >Japan&#39;s LDP and Ishin Continue Coalition Talks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/european-markets-gain-on-m-japan-forms-coalition\/58335\/#European_Indices_Show_Gains_Swiss_Confidence_Remains_Subdued\" >European Indices Show Gains, Swiss Confidence Remains Subdued<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>A consortium led by <strong>Advent International<\/strong> and <strong>FedEx<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/FDX\">FDX<\/a>) has agreed to acquire Polish parcel-delivery firm <strong>InPost<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/INPST\">INPST<\/a>) for <strong>\u20ac7.8 billion ($9.22 billion)<\/strong>, representing a <strong>50% premium<\/strong> per share.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Novo Nordisk<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVO\">NVO<\/a>) shares surged <strong>8.6%<\/strong> after <strong>Hims &amp; Hers Health Inc.<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/HIMS\">HIMS<\/a>) scrapped plans for a copycat version of its popular weight-loss drug, Wegovy, following regulatory and legal pressures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>UniCredit<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/UCG\">UCG<\/a>) announced plans to return <strong>\u20ac50 billion<\/strong> to investors over five years, sending its shares up <strong>3.9%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Japan&#39;s <strong>Ishin<\/strong> co-leader <strong>Hirofumi Yoshimura<\/strong> confirmed an ongoing pursuit of a joint agreement with the ruling <strong>Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)<\/strong>, signaling continued political stability and policy cooperation.<\/li>\n<li>European markets showed positive momentum, with Britain&#39;s <strong>FTSE 100<\/strong> rising <strong>0.3%<\/strong>, France&#39;s <strong>CAC 40<\/strong> up <strong>0.25%<\/strong>, and Spain&#39;s <strong>IBEX<\/strong> gaining <strong>0.66%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>European markets opened with positive sentiment today, driven by significant corporate developments and a major acquisition in the logistics sector. Meanwhile, political developments in Japan and economic data from Switzerland also captured investor attention.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"InPost_Acquired_in_Multi-Billion_Euro_Deal\"><\/span>InPost Acquired in Multi-Billion Euro Deal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Polish parcel-delivery giant <strong>InPost<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/INPST\">INPST<\/a>) is set to be acquired by a consortium comprising <strong>Advent International<\/strong>, <strong>FedEx<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/FDX\">FDX<\/a>), <strong>A&amp;R<\/strong>, and <strong>PPF Group<\/strong>. The all-cash offer values <strong>InPost<\/strong> at <strong>\u20ac7.8 billion ($9.22 billion)<\/strong>, with shares priced at <strong>\u20ac15.60 each<\/strong>. This represents a substantial <strong>50% premium<\/strong> compared to <strong>InPost&#39;s<\/strong> share price on January 2, before news of the potential deal emerged. The acquisition, supported by shareholders holding 48% of outstanding shares, is expected to close in the second half of 2026. Following the news, <strong>InPost<\/strong> shares saw a significant increase of <strong>13.5%<\/strong> in early European trading.<\/p>\n<p>Upon completion, <strong>Advent<\/strong> and <strong>FedEx<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/FDX\">FDX<\/a>) will each hold a <strong>37% stake<\/strong> in <strong>InPost<\/strong>, while <strong>A&amp;R<\/strong> will hold <strong>16%<\/strong> and <strong>PPF<\/strong> <strong>10%<\/strong>. The consortium aims to leverage <strong>InPost&#39;s<\/strong> extensive network of 61,000 automated parcel lockers to expand its reach across Europe.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pharma_Sector_Sees_Volatility_as_Hims_Scraps_Wegovy_Copycat\"><\/span>Pharma Sector Sees Volatility as Hims Scraps Wegovy Copycat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Novo Nordisk<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVO\">NVO<\/a>) experienced a notable surge of <strong>8.6%<\/strong> in its stock price after <strong>Hims &amp; Hers Health Inc.<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/HIMS\">HIMS<\/a>) announced it would halt the sale of its copycat version of <strong>Novo Nordisk&#39;s<\/strong> popular weight-loss drug, Wegovy. This decision by <strong>Hims &amp; Hers<\/strong> comes after the company initially launched a cheaper compounded oral semaglutide, priced at $49 for the first month, triggering immediate backlash and legal threats from <strong>Novo Nordisk<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Novo Nordisk<\/strong> had accused <strong>Hims &amp; Hers<\/strong> of &quot;illegal compounding&quot; and posing &quot;significant risk to patients,&quot; while the FDA also indicated it would limit access to active ingredients for such copycat GLP-1 drugs. <em>The move highlights the ongoing tension and legal battles within the rapidly expanding weight-loss drug market, where intellectual property and regulatory compliance are key concerns.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"UniCredit_Plans_Massive_Capital_Return\"><\/span>UniCredit Plans Massive Capital Return<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Italian banking giant <strong>UniCredit<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/UCG\">UCG<\/a>) saw its shares climb <strong>3.9%<\/strong> after revealing ambitious plans to return <strong>\u20ac50 billion<\/strong> to investors over the next five years. This significant capital return initiative underscores the bank&#39;s strong financial position and commitment to shareholder value.<\/p>\n<p>The announcement follows <strong>UniCredit&#39;s<\/strong> previous strategic moves, including the acquisition of an approximately <strong>9% stake<\/strong> in <strong>Commerzbank AG<\/strong> in September 2024. <strong>UniCredit<\/strong> also received approval from the European Central Bank to potentially increase its shareholding in <strong>Commerzbank<\/strong> to <strong>29.9%<\/strong> by March 2025, though the timeline for a final decision on this investment may extend into 2026.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Japans_LDP_and_Ishin_Continue_Coalition_Talks\"><\/span>Japan&#39;s LDP and Ishin Continue Coalition Talks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In Japanese politics, <strong>Ishin<\/strong> co-leader <strong>Hirofumi Yoshimura<\/strong> confirmed that the party is continuing to pursue a joint agreement with the ruling <strong>Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)<\/strong>. This ongoing collaboration is part of efforts to form a stable coalition government, with discussions having previously led to a coalition deal signed in October 2025. The agreement outlines policy cooperation across various areas, including constitutional revision and defense buildup. A joint conference is expected to be established to coordinate policies between the two parties. <em>The continued pursuit of this agreement suggests a focus on political stability and a unified policy agenda.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"European_Indices_Show_Gains_Swiss_Confidence_Remains_Subdued\"><\/span>European Indices Show Gains, Swiss Confidence Remains Subdued<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Major European stock indices posted gains, with Britain&#39;s <strong>FTSE 100<\/strong> rising <strong>0.3%<\/strong>. France&#39;s <strong>CAC 40<\/strong> increased by <strong>0.25%<\/strong>, and Spain&#39;s <strong>IBEX<\/strong> climbed <strong>0.66%<\/strong>, reflecting a broadly positive market sentiment across the continent.<\/p>\n<p>In Switzerland, the <strong>SECO Consumer Confidence<\/strong> index for January registered <strong>-30.1<\/strong>, slightly below the estimated <strong>-29.5<\/strong> but an improvement from the previous <strong>-30.7<\/strong>. The first-quarter Consumer Confidence also showed a modest rise to <strong>-32<\/strong> from <strong>-34<\/strong>. <em>While showing a slight uptick, consumer confidence in Switzerland remains in negative territory, indicating ongoing caution among households.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways A consortium led by Advent International and FedEx (FDX) has agreed to acquire Polish parcel-delivery firm InPost (INPST) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"rank_math_schema_Article":[],"rank_math_focus_keyword":[],"rank_math_description":[],"financial_data_references":[],"stock_symbols_mentioned":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5012],"tags":[6184,3829,6334,8274,5087,16959,5232,16960,5382,5532,5533,5543,5629,5997],"class_list":["post-58335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","tag-japan-politics","tag-ma","tag-novo-nordisk","tag-seco","tag-cac40","tag-inpost","tag-ldp","tag-ishin","tag-consumer-confidence","tag-ftse-100","tag-ibex","tag-unicredit","tag-european-markets","tag-pharma"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58335"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58335\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}