Oct 8 (Reuters) - European shares inched higher on Wednesday with banks and energy stocks leading early gains, though gains were kept in check by losses in automobile stocks following BMW's forecast cut and technology names amid U.S. calls for export bans.

The pan-European STOXX 600 (.STOXX) , opens new tab was up 0.2% at 570.4 points by 0712 GMT. Local bourses were mixed, though the Italian benchmark (.FTMIB) , opens new tab outperformed with a 0.5% gain.

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Banks (.SX7P) , opens new tab were the biggest boost, up 0.7% with British lender Lloyds (LLOY.L) , opens new tab, France's Societe Generale (SOGN.PA) , opens new tab and Italy's BPER Banca (EMII.MI) , opens new tab leading gains.

Heavyweight oil and gas stocks (.SXEP) , opens new tab added 0.4%, tracking higher oil prices.

Germany's BMW (BMWG.DE) , opens new tab dropped 5.3% after the carmaker cut its 2025 earnings forecast due to changed U.S. tariff assumptions and weaker-than-expected growth in the Chinese market.

The broader autos index (.SXAP) , opens new tab eased 1.5%, with rival Mercedes (MBGn.DE) , opens new tab also down 3.1%.

Technology (.SX8P) , opens new tab fell 1.1%, with chip-related companies ASML (ASML.AS) , opens new tab and ASMI (ASMI.AS) , opens new tab leading declines after U.S. lawmakers called for broader bans on sales of chipmaking equipment to China.

Investors will also focus on France, where President Emmanuel Macron is under mounting pressure to either resign or call a snap parliamentary election amid deepening political turmoil. French blue-chips (.FCHI) , opens new tab gained 0.2% early on.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/european-shares-rise-slightly-banks-energy-boost-tech-autos-curb-gains-2025-10-08/