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European equities fall as fragile Mideast ceasefire dents risk sentiment

European shares fell sharply as hopes for a U.S.-Iran peace deal faded, driving oil prices higher and heightening investor concerns over the Strait of Hormuz crisis. Losses were broad across major indices, while mixed corporate earnings and inflation data added to market uncertainty.

May 12, 2026

Twesha Dikshit and Eileen Soreng/Reuters

European equities fall as fragile Mideast ceasefire dents risk sentiment

FILE PHOTO: The 120 metres high Bayer Cross, logo of German pharmaceutical and chemical maker Bayer AG, consisting of 1710 LED glass bulbs is seen outside the industrial park "Chempark" of the chemical industry in Leverkusen, Germany, September 23, 2023.

Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters

European shares tumbled on Tuesday, as fading hopes of a U.S.-Iran peace deal pushed oil prices higher and kept investors on edge.


U.S. President Donald Trump called the ceasefire with Iran "on life support" with Tehran rejecting a U.S. proposal to end the conflict and proposing a list of demands that Trump dismissed as "garbage."


The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX shed 1.1% to 605.79 points, as of 0703 GMT. Regional bourses also moved lower, with London's FTSE 100 .FTSE and Germany's DAX .GDAXI down more than 1%.


A closure of the vital Strait of Hormuz has weighed on energy-dependent European markets, keeping them below pre-war levels, as worries remain over the economic impact of the crisis.


Germany's April inflation accelerated slightly to 2.9% in April, official data showed on Tuesday. U.S. inflation data later in the day will also be closely gauged to see the impact of the Iran war.


Among early movers, Germany's Thyssenkrupp TKAG.DE fell 2.4% after the conglomerate cut its 2026 sales outlook.


Shares of Bayer BAYGn.DE gained 1.5% after the German firm reported a better-than-expected quarterly operating profit.

-Twesha Dikshit and Eileen Soreng/Reuters

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