European stocks closed higher, reaching their highest level in two months, supported by the aviation, defense, and financial sectors. The Stoxx 600 index rose by 0.6%, marking its best daily performance in two weeks. Admiral’s share on the London Stock Exchange jumped 6.6% after reporting strong first-half earnings, while Aviva’s shares rose 2.6% to their highest levels since December 2007. Meanwhile, Dutch payments company Adyen’s shares fell 4.9%, and Empiric’s shares dropped 23.4%, recording their worst daily performance since May 2023 after earnings and forecasts fell short of expectations. Danish company F.L. Smith’s shares increased 6.7% following strong quarterly results and an updated annual outlook.