Brussels, February 25 (QNA) - European stocks surged to a record high on Wednesday, buoyed by a rebound in the financial sector.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index climbed 0.4 percent to 631.6 points, after hitting a record high of 632.40 points earlier in the session.

Bank stocks rose more than 1 percent as global sentiment improved after US-based AI startup Anthropic partnered with several companies and launched new AI tools, demonstrating that traditional businesses are adapting to novel developments rather than facing imminent disruption.

HSBC, Europe's largest bank, also reported better-than-expected annual profits despite recording a one-off charge of USD 4.9 billion.

Shares of wind turbine manufacturer Nordex jumped 11.6 percent after it announced better-than-expected underlying earnings for 2025. (QNA)