European Stocks Set for Cautious Open

European equities traded choppily on Tuesday, with the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 swinging between slight gains and losses, as investors returned from the Easter break and monitored developments in the Middle East. The war with Iran entered a sixth week and President Trump warned that if no agreement is reached by his Tuesday deadline, the US military could target key Iranian infrastructures. He also stated that talks with Iran are “going well” and emphasised that reopening the strait remains “a very big priority”. Oil prices remained volatile amid the ongoing tensions. Basic materials, financials, consumer cyclicals and non-cyclicals led gains, while tech stocks lagged. LVMH (1.3%), Nestle (1.4%), Hermes (1.8%), Unilever (1%) were higher. On the other hand, ASML Holding fell around 3% as US lawmakers unveiled the MATCH Act that would strengthen existing restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales, aiming to restrict exports of chip tools to China.

European stocks moved higher on Tuesday after a subdued open, with the STOXX 50 rising 0.8% and the STOXX 600 gaining 0.7%, as investors returned from the Easter break and continued to assess developments in the Middle East. The war with Iran entered a sixth week and President Trump warned that if no agreement is reached by his Tuesday deadline, the US military could target key Iranian infrastructures. He also stated that talks with Iran are “going well” and emphasised that reopening the strait remains “a very big priority”. Oil prices remained volatile amid the ongoing tensions. Financials, consumer cyclicals and non-cyclicals led gains, while tech stocks lagged. LVMH (1.7%), Nestle (1.3%), Hermes (2%), Unilever (1.1%) were higher. On the other hand, ASML Holding fell around 3% as US lawmakers unveiled the MATCH Act that would strengthen existing restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales, aiming to restrict exports of chip tools to China.

European stocks began the week on a mixed note, with the STOXX 50 hovering around the flatline and the STOXX 600 edging up 0.2%, as investors returned from the Easter break. Markets are now entering the sixth week of the war with Iran, with uncertainty persisting amid mixed signals over a potential resolution. US President Trump warned that if no agreement is reached by his Tuesday deadline, the US military could target key Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges. He also stated that talks with Iran are “going well” and emphasizing that reopening the strait remains “a very big priority”. Oil prices continued to climb amid the ongoing tensions. Sector-wise, financials and consumer non-cyclicals led gains, while tech stocks lagged. ASML Holding fell around 4% as US lawmakers unveiled the MATCH Act that would strengthen existing restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales from firms like ASML Holding, aiming to restrict exports of chip tools to China.