European equities advance on UK data; STOXX600 619.45, jobless 5.2% (Feb 17, 2026)

On February 17, 2026, European stock benchmarks climbed, with STOXX600 at 619.45 (+0.15%) and broad gains across the FTSE 100, DAX, CAC 40, SMI, IBEX 35, and PSI20. According to UK labor data, unemployment rose to 5.2%, pushing GBP/USD to 1.359 and helping lower gilt and euro‑area yields, while EU figures showed 0.3% Q4 2025 growth.