live China says three ships safely pass Strait of Hormuz - Middle East conflict on 31 March
The Iran-U.S.-Israel conflict is escalating further with missile and drone attacks, expanded strikes on key infrastructure, and growing regional fa...
European shares climbed on Thursday, as a relief rally swept through global markets after artificial intelligence (AI) bellwether Nvidia reported strong earnings, while investors awaited the release of delayed U.S. jobs data.
The pan-European STOXX 600, was up 0.7% at 565.85 points as of 0938 GMT.
Bourses in Germany and France, also rose about 0.8% each.
Chip designer Nvidia's blowout quarterly results and positive outlook come at a crucial time for investors, who have been rattled in recent weeks by fears of an AI bubble.
Nvidia's results temporarily eased investor anxiety, with the company's shares rising 5.5% in U.S. premarket trading.
"The strong results do not erase AI bubble fears, but rather push them below the surface, offering a brief reprieve for markets," said Daniela Hathorn, senior market analyst at Capital.com.
The rebound among chipmakers was further fuelled by reports that the U.S. may delay its planned 100% tariffs on semiconductor imports to ease tensions with China.
The European tech index climbed 1.2%, with Infineon and ASML gaining about 2% each.
AI equipment makers that have benefited from the technology boom, such as Schneider Electric and Siemens Energy were up 2% and 4%, respectively.
Europe's defence index was up 2.1%, having slid nearly 3% on Wednesday on signs of a fresh U.S.-led push to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
On the financials side, European banking stocks were among the biggest gainer on the index, up more than 1.3% each.
"At a time where there is so much focus and emphasis placed on the tech sector, financials and banks have been steadily creeping up in the shadows," Hathorn said.
BNP Paribas gained 5.7% after the French bank raised its CET1 ratio target, a gauge of financial stability, to 13% by 2027.
Later in the day, the focus will shift to a long-awaited official U.S. jobs report that could sway expectations regarding the Federal Reserve's monetary policy verdict next month.
Analysts say the coming U.S. figures could offer clues on the Federal Reserve's next steps, with weaker labour-market data potentially reinforcing expectation of an interest-rate cut.
Geopolitical developments between Russia and Ukraine also remain on investors' radar, alongside a full data calendar in the Eurozone led by the Consumer Confidence Index.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the U.S is in talks with the new Iranian regime. He said this in a post on his Truth Social account but warned that the U.S. will "Obliterate" Iran's electric and oil facilities if no deal is reached, especially regarding the Strait of Hormuz closure.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
A senior Iranian military officer warned that American troops will become ‘food for sharks’ on Sunday if the U.S. launches a ground offensive in Iran. The threat came as contingents of U.S. Marines began to arrive in the Middle East, with thousands expected to be deployed in the region.
The Israeli military said on Monday that Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, and an attack had also been launched from Yemen for the second time since the U.S.-Israeli war began on Tehran. It said two drones from Yemen were intercepted early 30 March but gave no further details.
Japan and Indonesia will deepen coordination on energy security, Tokyo said, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts vital oil and gas flows to Asia.
China's three largest state-owned airlines have issued warnings regarding their financial outlook for the current year, acknowledging that the eruption of war involving Iran has driven jet fuel prices to unsustainable highs.
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a potential global recession, with investors reacting to disruption risks in the Strait of Hormuz and prolonged hostilities.
World Trade Organization (WTO) talks broke up with no agreement on Monday on a plan for reform or even on extending a moratorium on e-commerce, piling more pressure on the trade body that finds itself increasingly sidelined by economic nationalism.
Petrol price spikes triggered by the war in Iran are boosting used electric vehicle sales across Europe, online car platforms told Reuters, in an early sign that pain at the pump is pushing consumers away from combustion engines.
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