Europe's stock markets weaker after wave of earnings. A flood of corporate earnings reports and rising oil prices made investors cautious on European stock markets on Wednesday. 28.10.2026 04:59 The Swiss Market Index (SMI) was up slightly more than half a percent. The DAX and the EuroStoxx50 were each slightly in negative territory at midday at 25,577 and 6,149 points. "Despite the abundance of market-moving events, caution is likely to dominate for now, as many investors are avoiding larger positions ahead of the pivotal corporate and central bank decisions," commented experts at LBBW. Symrise, among others, caused long faces. Shares in the fragrance and flavor manufacturer fell by more than ten percent despite accelerated revenue growth in the third quarter. Due to increased investments, the company expects the adjusted operating margin (EBITDA) in the lower half of the range of 21.5 to 22.5 percent. According to experts, the strong figures from Swiss rival Givaudan in mid-October had also raised investors' expectations for Symrise. European bank earnings mixed. The biggest gainers in the DAX were Deutsche Bank shares, which rose 3.6 percent after a well-received quarterly report. Across Europe, too, a series of major European banks with results that beat expectations eased investors' concerns about a fading profit boom. BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered and Santander all exceeded third-quarter profit forecasts. UBS also came under pressure. The European bank index was unchanged. However, the real test for stock markets would not come until the evening, said Andreas Lipkow, chief analyst at broker CMC Markets. With the US central bank's interest rate decision and the subsequent quarterly figures from Alphabet and Microsoft, two decisive influencing factors would coincide. According to portfolio manager Thomas Altmann of asset manager QC Partners, the most important thing in the Federal Reserve's decision was actually the outlook. However, Fed chair Kevin Warsh would probably deliberately leave investors and markets in the dark. According to experts, the dissenting votes in the interest rate decision are therefore particularly important. Oil price advances again. Developments on the oil market also caused nervousness. An attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia drove prices for North Sea crude Brent and US light crude WTI up by around one to 1.5 percent. Despite declines at the start of the week, they remain above the $100 mark at $114.60 and $101.07 per barrel (159 liters). The Iran-allied Houthis from Yemen said on Tuesday that they had hit Saudi Arabia's largest oil refinery with a missile. Oil prices also held at a high level because the market was waiting for more clarity on US president Donald Trump's next steps toward Iran, wrote strategists at Dutch major bank ING. "If the elections pass without renewed attacks on Iran, that could be enough to reduce the risk premium in the market." TK Accelis was also in the spotlight. The materials trader spun off from Thyssenkrupp is valued at almost two billion euros on its stock market debut. The opening price was set at €27.80 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Most recently, the share was at €30.00. Thyssenkrupp shares plunged 16.6 percent. After the IPO of TK Accelis, Thyssenkrupp CEO Miguel Lopez is also considering a spin-off of the former core steel business. Before TK Accelis, Thyssenkrupp had already taken the hydrogen subsidiary Nucera and the defense division TKMS public. Follow topics by email Swiss stocks European stocks

Givaudan Active Beauty unveils SensoTrue DM5(TM), a bioptimised alternative to DM5 silicone for professional hair care. Leveraging biotechnology to redefine silicone substitutes through professional performance, naturality and formulation versatility. Givaudan Active Beauty introduces SensoTrue DM5(TM), a bio-based emollient developed via a combination of white biotechnology and green chemistry as an alternative to 5 cSt dimethicone (DM5 silicone). It pairs premium sensory performance with a significantly improved environmental profile, delivering the luxurious feel that consumers expect from silicones whilst supporting the beauty industry's shift towards more sustainable formulations. For decades, silicones have set the standard for softness, shine and smoothness in hair care. Today, growing environmental concerns, evolving regulations and increasing consumer demand for naturally derived ingredients are reshaping this benchmark, driving the search for alternatives that do not compromise on sensory experience or efficacy. SensoTrue DM5(TM) addresses this challenge through an innovative emollient complex engineered from renewable sugarcane and upcycled pine terpenes. Its unique multi-molecular alkane architecture, combined with complementary polymeric emollients, acts on three complementary levels: * Low molecular weight volatile alkanes mimic cyclopentasiloxane by spreading evenly across the hair before evaporating cleanly, for smooth, uniform coverage without residue. * Mid molecular weight non-volatile alkanes penetrate the cortex to provide long-lasting hydration, while strengthening the hair fibre from within. * High molecular weight polymeric emollients form a lightweight, flexible film that smooths the cuticle, reduces friction and controls frizz, delivering silicone-like conditioning without any build-up. "SensoTrue DM5(TM) demonstrates how biotechnology can open up new possibilities for high-performance, naturally derived hair care ingredients," says Fabrice Lefèvre, Innovation and Marketing Director. "By combining renewable resources, green chemistry and advanced molecular design, we are enabling brands to meet consumer expectations for a premium hair care experience, without compromising on their environmental commitments." These performance claims are supported by instrumental testing. "SensoTrue DM5(TM) delivers a significant improvement in hair performance: 60% less wet combing force, 24% less frizz and 42% less flyaway, outperforming both 5 cSt dimethicone and D5 across all three parameters[1] ", says Ricky Ho, Senior Category Manager. Consumer testing confirms these instrumental results. Over 85% of women perceived visible efficacy after just one application, up to 88% of women felt their hair was healthier after 10 days, and up to 92% of women expressed high satisfaction with the SensoTrue DM5(TM) routine[2]. Suitable for shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, leave-in treatments and styling products, SensoTrue DM5(TM) offers formulators broad versatility. Its odourless, colourless and preservative-free profile allows for seamless integration across multiple hair care formats. SensoTrue DM5(TM) marks a significant milestone in hair care innovation, combining proven silicone-like performance with a bio-based, upcycled composition, setting a new reference for the next generation of high-performance formulations. About Givaudan Givaudan is a global leader in Fragrance & Beauty and Taste & Wellbeing. Sofw celebrate the beauty of human experience by creating for happier, healthier lives with love for nature. Together with its customers Sofw deliver food experiences, craft inspired fragrances and develop beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good. In 2025, Givaudan employed over 17,500 people worldwide and achieved CHF 7.5 billion in sales with a free cash flow of 14.1%. With a heritage that stretches back over 250 years, Sofw is committed to driving long-term, sustainable growth by improving people's health and happiness and increasing its positive impact on nature. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Discover more at: www.givaudan.com. About Givaudan Fragrance & Beauty Givaudan Fragrance & Beauty crafts inspired fragrances to perfume lives and memories, and develops innovative beauty and wellbeing solutions that make people look and feel good all over the world. Nature is both its responsibility and its most precious muse. Sofw is just as committed to sustainability as Sofw is to creating innovative products that satisfy consumer needs and anticipate their desires. With a collaborative approach that favours co-creation, Sofw has built a diverse portfolio across personal care, fabric care, hygiene, home care, fine fragrances, and beauty, reflecting its multidisciplinary expertise. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Learn more at www.givaudan.com/fragrance-beauty About Givaudan Active Beauty Givaudan Active Beauty crafts avant-garde cosmetic actives and high-end specialties that make people look and feel good. Sofw bring nature's most precious gifts to the art of personal care in the form of biotech & botanical high-performing molecules, delighting consumers. Its extensive portfolio of award-winning skin & hair ingredients spans a variety of benefits for human beauty: from well-ageing and self-tanners to radiance, microbiome-friendly, soothers, hydrators, and more. Backed by solid scientific recognition and consumers' awareness, Sofw remain at the cutting edge of this rapidly expanding market to deliver sustainable solutions supporting the growth of its customers. This is Givaudan. Human by nature. Learn more at www.givaudan.com/fragrance-beauty/active-beauty For further information please contact Agathe Parent, Active Beauty Communication Manager Email [email protected] Follow Givaudan on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube - 1 Instrumental testing conducted on European hair. Compared with placebo. 2 10-day home usage test conducted among 199 women aged 18-55 (99 Brazilian and 100 Indonesian women) using a hair regimen featuring SensoTrue DM5(TM) at 2.5%...

Jennifer Lawrence teases biodesign-driven hair care brand Mes°. The Oscar-winning actress just posted a link to the brand on Instagram. October 16, 2026, 12:42pm Is Jennifer Lawrence the next celebrity poised to launch a brand? The A-list Oscar-winning actress, whose credits include The Hunger Games series, Mother!, Silver Linings Playbook and much more, took to Instagram Friday to share a carousel of images of her with different hairstyles for various different roles. They range from sleek updos to blond bangs to red hair to super messy and everything else in between. Then a link to a brand called Mes° appeared underneath her Instagram handle, which leads to a landing page stating that the hair care brand has been biodesigned by Lawrence and Arcaea, the biotech company founded by MIT grad Jasmina Aganovic. As of yet, there's no other details on the brand, apart from the tag line stating "a new perspective on beauty" next to the date Oct. 27. There is also a sign-up line for those who want to "get curious." This comes after Lawrence recently joined Instagram in September with a video joking "So yeah, I'm giving it a shot and if anyone says anything negative I'll quit immediately." Arcaea has raised an impressive $78 million in series A funding from investors including Chanel, Givaudan and Olaplex. Other celebrity beauty brand founders include Blake Lively, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Lady Gaga, Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez. Newsletters