U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had paused a planned attack on Iran after Tehran sent a peace proposal to Washington. He said there was now a “very good chance” of reaching a deal to limit Iran’s nuclear programme.
European shares edged higher on Tuesday (19 May) after investors reacted positively to reports that the United States had paused a planned strike on Iran following Tehran’s latest peace proposal, raising hopes that an agreement could be near.
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was now a “very good chance” of securing a deal to curb Iran’s nuclear programme. Oil prices dropped by as much as 2%, although they remained above $100 per barrel, while bond markets steadied after heavy selloffs in recent sessions.
The pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.2% to 611.22 points by 07:02 GMT, though it remained below levels seen before the conflict.
European markets have underperformed compared with global peers, largely due to the region’s reliance on imported oil, while U.S. and international markets have been buoyed by optimism surrounding artificial intelligence.
The AI-driven rally in technology stocks will face another key test on Wednesday when Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, releases its quarterly earnings.
Among individual stocks, Standard Chartered slipped 0.8% after announcing plans to cut more than 7,000 jobs over the next four years as it increases the use of AI.
Meanwhile, Vallourec fell 10.3% after ArcelorMittal sold a secondary 10% stake in the French steel pipe maker at a discount.
Iran’s latest proposal to the United States includes calls for the removal of sanctions on Tehran, the release of frozen Iranian assets and an end to the country’s maritime blockade, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Tuesday (19 May), according to Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.
The proposal also calls for an end to conflicts across the region, including in Lebanon, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from areas near Iran and compensation for damage caused by the war, Gharibabadi added.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry says more than 3,000 people have now been killed since fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated in early March.
Officials claim that at least seven people were killed on Monday alone in strikes carried out across the country, despite a U.S.-backed ceasefire extension announced just days earlier.
Among those killed was a senior figure in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, after an Israeli air strike targeted an apartment building in the town of Douris in eastern Lebanon’s Baalbek district.
Hezbollah claims its fighters conducted 14 separate attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon on Monday.
In a statement, the group said the operations involved explosive drones, rockets, and artillery fire, targeting concentrations of Israeli troops and military vehicles across several border towns and valleys in Lebanon.
Drones used by the Hezbollah group are restricting nearly 80% of Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported Monday.
KAN said the Israeli military assessed that explosive-laden drones had sharply reduced the army’s operational freedom in southern Lebanon alongside casualties among troops.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his security Cabinet on Monday to discuss the possibility of renewed fighting with Iran, according to Hebrew media.
The Israel Hayom daily said the meeting came after Netanyahu held a similar Cabinet discussion Sunday following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump to coordinate the “next step” regarding Iran.
It quoted a source familiar with U.S. discussions as saying a new American strike on Iran was “not a question of if, but when.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Washington would be satisfied with an agreement preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Hours earlier, he said he had postponed a planned military attack on Iran to allow negotiations with Tehran to continue.
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 19th of May, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
Azerbaijan and Georgia have agreed to resume daily passenger train services on the Baku-Tbilisi-Baku route from 26 May, 2026, marking a major step in restoring regional rail connectivity after services were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remained committed to reaching a diplomatic settlement with the U.S. while continuing to strengthen its defensive capabilities amid ongoing regional tensions.
Finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) have urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to increase support for countries hardest hit by the conflict in the Middle East.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and German counterpart Johann Wadephul said Monday that Ankara and Berlin are both keen to deepen strategic cooperation.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack against Iran after Tehran sent a peace proposal to Washington, and that there was now a "very good chance" of reaching a deal limiting Iran's nuclear programme.
G7 finance ministers voiced growing concern over rising public debt and volatile bond markets as they met in Paris on Monday following a global sell-off driven by fears that the Iran conflict could fuel inflation.
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