📈 Market Actu

US stock futures fell slightly on Friday after a mixed Wall Street session, as investors stayed cautious going into the Good Friday break amid persistent Middle East tensions. President Trump warned the conflict with Iran could last weeks and vowed to strike Tehran “extremely hard,” remarks that lifted oil prices and stoked inflation concerns. On the trade front, Trump signed an executive order paving the way for tariffs of up to 100% on certain patented drugs if companies fail to reach agreements with his administration, while reaffirming plans for 50% duties on imported steel, aluminum, and copper. In corporate news, Tesla reported that first-quarter deliveries and production rose year-on-year but fell from the prior quarter, sending shares down more than 5%. Meantime, Globalstar jumped 13% on reports that Amazon may consider an acquisition. The S&P 500 secured its first weekly gain since the war with Tehran began, while the Dow and Nasdaq also posted advances.

The CAC 40 fell 0.2% to 7,962 on Thursday, snapping a three-session winning streak, as fading hopes for a swift resolution to the Middle East conflict weighed on market sentiment. US President Trump struck a sharply hawkish tone toward Iran, warning, “we’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks,” and signaling that military action would be decisive. On the monetary policy front, interest rate futures now point to at least two additional 25 bps rate hikes by year-end, marking a notable shift from earlier expectations of no ECB policy changes before the conflict escalated. Financial stocks were among the worst performers, including BNP Paribas (-2.4%), Crédit Agricole (-1.3%), and Société Générale (-2.6%). Other notable decliners were Schneider Electric (-1.6%), STMicroelectronics (-2.8%), and Airbus (-1.6%). In contrast, TotalEnergies climbed 2.4%, supported by surging oil prices amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

Frankfurt's DAX 40 pared early losses to close about 0.6% down at 23,168 on Thursday, following reports that Iran and Oman were working on a memorandum of understanding concerning safe maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier, President Trump’s address drove oil prices higher, as he promised a swift end to the Middle East conflict but warned Iran of further attacks on its power plants if no deal is reached. The deadline for action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, extended by Trump, expires on April 6. Most sectors posted losses, with technology, financials, and industrials among the hardest hit. In equities, Deutsche Telekom slipped 3.3% as it traded ex-dividend, reflecting a €1.00 payout per share. Infineon (-3.2%), Heidelberg Materials (-2.7%), Siemens (-2.6%), Deutsche Bank (-2.6%) and Commerzbank (-2.6%) also saw steep losses. For the week, the index gained about 3.9%. The DAX will be closed Friday for the Easter holiday.

The FTSE 100 climbed over 0.5% on Thursday, outperforming European peers as oil surged to $110 a barrel. Meanwhile, reports emerged that Iran is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, citing Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi. The update followed a speech by President Donald Trump that provided no clear roadmap for ending the Middle East conflict, keeping investors cautious. Oil majors Shell and BP gained nearly 3% each, while pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and GSK rose 1.9% and 1.7%, respectively. BAT advanced more than 2%, and discount retailer B&M jumped over 5% after a rating upgrade. Conversely, banks including HSBC Holdings and NatWest slipped more than 1%, reflecting ongoing risk sentiment in the sector. Markets in the UK are closed Friday for the Easter holiday.

European stocks bounced from session lows but still closed in the red on Thursday, as threats of escalation by the US and Iran prolonged concerns of lower oil exports from the Persian Gulf. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 fell 0.7% to 5,695 and the pan-European STOXX dropped 0.3% to 596. US President Trump exchanged threats of escalation with Iranian officials and triggered a selloff in global risk on prolonged bets that the war will impact energy commodities for longer. Still, equities trimmed their losses on reports that Oman and Iran may coordinate a system to select tankers that can cross the Hormuz chokehold. Banks fell sharply on the pressure that the war has on the economy and credit demand, with UniCredit and BNP Paribas dropping 2.5%. Tech also was also pressured by the pivot away from speculative assets, with ASML dropping 2.4% and Infineon losing 3%. European stock exchanges will be close on Friday for Good Friday, and multiple bourses will extend the holiday to Monday.