The Gulf war has entered its 31st day with limited visibility, and investors are relying on fragile hopes of negotiations. In this context, the CAC 40 rose by 0.92% to 7,772 points and the Euro Stoxx 50 by 0.37% to 5,526 points.
On the New York Stock Exchange, the indices are also on a positive trajectory, with the Dow Jones and Nasdaq advancing by 0.83% and 0.13% respectively, around 5:45 pm. In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged caution regarding the prospects of negotiation with Iran, stating that the US must prepare for the “likelihood” of Iran refusing to engage in diplomatic solutions.
On Monday, Donald Trump threatened to destroy the Iranian oil refinery of Kharg on Truth Social if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened and if discussions with Tehran do not yield results quickly.
“The impact on inflation will vary from region to region, with the eurozone likely to be more affected than the US. The transitory nature of inflation will depend on how long prices of oil, gas, food, and fertilizers remain high. The eurozone’s CPI could significantly exceed the ECB target in 2026 before falling the following year – while still remaining above the target. This would occur if inflationary pressures become embedded across the economy, for example in intermediate goods, freight, and insurance costs. In the US, we expect higher energy prices to hit low-income households harder,” noted Amundi.
At the close of the main European stock exchanges, the price of Brent crude oil fell by 0.70% to $107.
On the data front, German inflation in March met expectations, with consumer prices rising by 1.1% after a 0.2% increase in February. Annually, inflation increased by 2.7%, in line with forecasts, after 1.9% the previous month.
Moreover, economic sentiment in the eurozone deteriorated more than expected in March, while inflation expectations increased significantly. The index stood at 96.6, down from 98.2 in February, compared to a consensus of 96.8.
Stocks in Motion
In company news, Sodexo (+3.76%) stood out among the biggest gainers in the SBF 120 index following a recommendation upgrade from Jefferies, shifting from hold to buy.
Atos (-4.03%) finished at the bottom of the same index. The group announced on Saturday that the Southern District Court of New York had ordered its US subsidiary, Syntel, to pay $236.9 million to TriZetto for damages. This decision is part of the litigation between Syntel and Cognizant since 2015, and its subsidiary TriZetto for misappropriation and copyright infringement.
Equasens (+13.89%) led the SRD market due to its 2025 annual results. Benefiting from the surge in aluminum prices, Norsk Hydro (+9.53%) shone along with Rio Tinto (+2.99%) and Glencore (+2.22%).
In the foreign exchange market, the euro declined by 0.33% to 1.1454 USD.
