European Stocks Attempt a Rebound

2026-05-21 08:35 By Joana Taborda 1 min. read

European stocks attempted a rebound after a weak start on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 hovering around the flatline and the STOXX 600 up 0.2%, as investors continued to assess prospects for a potential deal in the Middle East.

Iran said it was reviewing the latest US proposal to end the conflict, after President Trump signalled he was prepared to wait a few more days to “get the right answers” from Tehran.

Meanwhile, Nvidia’s earnings failed to excite investors despite beating estimates, leaving the broader AI sector without a meaningful lift.

In addition, preliminary S&P Global PMI data for the Eurozone pointed to a larger-than-expected hit to private sector activity in May, due to the war in the Middle East.

ASML Holding (1%), Novartis (0.7%), LVMH (1.2%), Siemens (1.3%) were in the green.

EasyJet was up 2%, even after reporting a first-half loss.

In contrast, Shell (-0.6%), Airbus (-1.8%) and Unicredit (-1.%) traded lower.



News Stream
European Stocks Attempt a Rebound
European stocks attempted a rebound after a weak start on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 hovering around the flatline and the STOXX 600 up 0.2%, as investors continued to assess prospects for a potential deal in the Middle East. Iran said it was reviewing the latest US proposal to end the conflict, after President Trump signalled he was prepared to wait a few more days to “get the right answers” from Tehran. Meanwhile, Nvidia’s earnings failed to excite investors despite beating estimates, leaving the broader AI sector without a meaningful lift. In addition, preliminary S&P Global PMI data for the Eurozone pointed to a larger-than-expected hit to private sector activity in May, due to the war in the Middle East. ASML Holding (1%), Novartis (0.7%), LVMH (1.2%), Siemens (1.3%) were in the green. EasyJet was up 2%, even after reporting a first-half loss. In contrast, Shell (-0.6%), Airbus (-1.8%) and Unicredit (-1.%) traded lower.
2026-05-21
European Stocks Edge Lower
European stocks edged lower on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 slipping 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively, as investors continued to monitor the latest developments in the Middle East. Iran said it was reviewing the latest US proposal to end the conflict after President Trump signalled he was willing to wait a few more days to “get the right answers” from Tehran. The technology sector moved lower, following weakness in its US counterparts, as Nvidia’s earnings failed to impress investors despite topping market estimates. ASML Holding fell 0.7%, while SAP slipped 0.2%. EasyJet shares were little changed after the airline reported a first-half loss and warned that the outlook remains uncertain amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. Airbus fell 2.2%. Meanwhile, France’s flash PMI data pointed to a far sharper-than-expected slowdown in private sector activity.
2026-05-21
European Stocks Poised for Cautious Open
European equity markets were on track to open slightly lower on Thursday as investors assessed signs that the US and Iran may be nearing an agreement to end the conflict and potentially reopen the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump said Washington was in the final stages of negotiations with Tehran, raising hopes that tensions in the Middle East could soon ease. In Europe, market participants will closely monitor flash PMI data from the Eurozone, Germany, France and the UK, along with Italy’s current account figures, for further clues on regional economic conditions. On the corporate side, investors are awaiting earnings results from Generali, BT Group and The Sage Group, among others. In premarket trading, futures tied to the Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 were both down around 0.2%.
2026-05-21