European stock markets closed lower on Friday as heightened tensions in the Middle East rattled investors, overshadowing optimism from improving US-China trade relations.
The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index dropped 0.89% to finish at 544.94 points. Germany’s DAX 40 fell 1.07% to 23,516.23, France’s CAC 40 declined 1.04% to 7,684.68, and Italy’s FTSE MIB 30 tumbled 1.28% to 39,438.75. In the UK, the FTSE 100 slipped 0.39%, ending the session at 8,850.63.
Investor sentiment deteriorated sharply after Israel launched a large-scale military strike on Iran, raising fears of a broader regional conflict. The attack, which killed dozens including top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists, prompted Iran to request an emergency UN Security Council meeting and pledge severe retaliation.
The euro also lost ground amid the uncertainty, declining 0.181% against the US dollar to trade around 1.156 as of 7.20 p.m. local time (1620GMT).
While markets had been buoyed earlier in the week by signs of progress in US-China trade talks, the sudden spike in geopolitical tensions shifted investor focus toward safe-haven assets and away from equities.
“Geopolitical shocks like this tend to spike volatility and reduce risk appetite,” said one analyst. “Even positive news like easing trade friction takes a backseat when investors are concerned about military escalation and energy market disruption.”
Market participants will be closely monitoring developments over the weekend for further clues on how the conflict may evolve and its potential impact on global markets.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Sy...
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Isra...
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough,...
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, ...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had spoken with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, noting their shared view on the threat posed...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke on 9 August, praising regional peace steps, new gas exports to Syria, and deepening bilateral ties.
More than 1,000 aid packages have been airdropped over the Gaza Strip since the resumption of the international airdrop operation on 26 July, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday.
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough, marking a decisive step toward stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, according to Tolonews.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send an upgraded ‘version 3.0’ free-trade agreement to their heads of government for approval in October, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday after regional talks in Kuala Lumpur.
A resumption of Iraq’s Kurdish oil exports is not expected in the near term, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, despite an announcement by Iraq’s federal government a day earlier stating that shipments would resume immediately.
Chinese automaker Chery has denied an industry-ministry audit that disqualified more than $53 million in state incentives for thousands of its electric and hybrid vehicles, insisting it followed official guidance and committed no fraud.
World leaders and international organisations have hailed the U.S.-brokered peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia as a historic breakthrough, marking a decisive step toward stability and cooperation in the South Caucasus.
Afghan authorities have begun building a 50 million afghani canal in Panjshir province to improve irrigation, support farmers, and create 1,000 jobs, according to Tolonews.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had spoken with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, noting their shared view on the threat posed by Russia’s attempt “to reduce everything to discussing the impossible.”
Russia’s investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Saturday that certain countries would make “titanic efforts” to derail the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for 15 August.
U.S. President Donald Trump has invited newly inaugurated Polish President Karol Nawrocki to the White House for an official working meeting on 3 September, Nawrocki’s chief of cabinet announced on Saturday.
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