European Stocks Drop Amid U.S. Extension of Iran Strike Hiatus European stock markets continued their decline on Friday as U.S. President Donald Trump announced an extension of the military pause on attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure. The decision, which prolongs the 10-day hiatus until April 6, came amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. Investors reacted with caution, as uncertainty over the geopolitical situation weighed on sentiment across the region. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index fell 0.8% shortly after 1:45 p.m. London time, while the FTSE 100 dropped 0.2%, the CAC 40 in France declined 0.6%, and Germany’s DAX lost 1.2%. The sell-off followed a broader pattern of market volatility, with European bourses resuming declines from the previous session. Investors struggled to interpret mixed signals from U.S. and Middle Eastern leaders, particularly as peace talks remained inconclusive. Trump’s announcement came after a statement on Thursday evening in which he reiterated the pause on attacks, framing it as a gesture of goodwill to facilitate negotiations. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president claimed the decision was requested by the Iranian government and emphasized that talks were progressing despite media criticism. “Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well,” he wrote. The U.S. president also highlighted a separate development, asserting that Iran had allowed 10 oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz as a “present” to the United States. However, Tehran has not publicly commented on the matter, leaving the claim unverified. Meanwhile, Asian markets had already fallen overnight, while U.S.#iran #strait_of_hormuz #us_president_donald_trump #stoxx_600 #g7_foreign_ministers_meeting
Global stocks ended lower Tuesday amid heightened volatility as fears over the escalating Middle East conflict weighed on investor sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 404 points, or 0.83%, after briefly losing over 1,200 points earlier in the session. The S&P 500 fell 0.94%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.02%, recovering some ground from earlier declines of nearly 2.5% and 2.75%, respectively. The VIX, Wall Street’s fear gauge, surged 10% to its highest level in more than three months, reflecting growing uncertainty. European and Asian markets also faced declines, with the Stoxx 600 index falling 3.08% and Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropping 3.06%. South Korea’s Kospi index plummeted 7.24%, marking its worst single-day performance since April. Markets in South Korea were closed Monday due to a public holiday. President Donald Trump addressed concerns over the conflict, stating in a letter to Senator Chuck Grassley that it remains unclear how long or how extensive military operations might become. During a White House press briefing, Trump defended the U.S. strike on Iran, claiming “just about everything’s been knocked out” in Iran’s military infrastructure. He also expressed surprise at Iran’s decision to retaliate by attacking neighboring countries. Military activity in the region intensified for a fourth consecutive day, with Israel announcing simultaneous strikes targeting Iranian military sites in Tehran and Hezbollah positions in Beirut. The U.S. closed embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon and issued warnings for Americans to leave 14 countries, including Israel and Egypt. Non-essential U.S. government personnel in Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE were ordered to depart due to security risks.#dow_jones_industrial_average #s_p_500 #nasdaq_composite #middle_east_conflict #stoxx_600
