European stock markets showed a flat performance, with gains in the energy sector driven by rising oil prices offsetting declines in technology and travel stocks.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index closed essentially unchanged. Following overnight strikes between the United States and Iran, Brent crude oil climbed 4.4% to $79 per barrel, which boosted energy shares. Travel stocks underperformed, with airlines such as Ryanair and International Consolidated Airlines Group weighing on the sector.
The technology sector also lagged behind the broader market, after SK Hynix recorded a historic 17% plunge in the South Korean market, sparking concerns about overvaluation. Stocks like ASML Holding and Infineon Technologies were among the main individual contributors to the benchmark index's decline.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the United States would reinstate a blockade on Iranian vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz and would impose a 20% fee on all other cargo passing through the strait. This news initially pushed the broader market lower, but losses were quickly recovered.
In individual stock movements, online trading platform operator Plus500 Ltd fell 15%, marking its largest single-day drop in over six years.
Geopolitical tensions remained a focal point for the market. Conflicting statements from Washington and Tehran emerged regarding whether the Strait of Hormuz is open to shipping. U.S. Central Command indicated that American forces had launched a new round of strikes aimed at degrading Iran's ability to attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
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