European Stocks Fall Again
2026-04-02 07:30
By
Joana Taborda
1 min. read
Stocks in Europe declined on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 falling 1.2% and the STOXX 600 dropping 1.9%, as hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict with Iran faded following comments from US President Trump.
He stated that the US operation was nearing completion and pledged more aggressive actions, but his remarks offered little new detail, providing neither a clear timeline for withdrawal nor a concrete plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
As a result, oil prices surged, climbing back above $105 per barrel.
All sectors were in negative territory except for energy, while technology and industrial stocks led the declines.
Among the worst performers were ASML Holding (-4.1%), Infineon (-4.4%), Siemens Energy (-3.7%), and STMicroelectronics (-3.5%).
Despite Thursday’s decline, European stocks remain on track to end the week higher, with the STOXX 50 up 2.3% and the STOXX 600 gaining 2.7% so far.
Markets in the region will be closed on Friday in observance of the Easter holiday.