European stock markets are showing particular hesitancy. The CAC 40 falls by 0.41% to 8,193 points, while the Euro Stoxx 50 gains 0.04% to 5,897 points. London drops by 0.33% while the DAX 40 advances by 0.14%.
In terms of geopolitics, a sense of deadlock prevails. Donald Trump, after extending indefinitely the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran, yesterday announced an additional three-week truce between Israel and Lebanon.
This morning, the Brent barrel is up by 1.07% to $107.09.
In this tense atmosphere, French household confidence continues to deteriorate. Weakened by the Middle East war, it has reached its lowest level since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, according to INSEE. The indicator dropped by 5 points in April to 84, after a first decline to 89 the previous month, moving further away from its long-term average (100 between January 1987 and December 2025). This is its lowest level since May 2023.
In Germany, business sentiment has also deteriorated more strongly than expected in April, amid persistent tensions related to the Iran conflict, according to the Ifo institute’s monthly survey published on Friday. The index stands at 84.4, down from 86.3 in March (revised after an initial estimate of 88.6), while economists had anticipated an average of 86.6. This is its lowest level since May 2020, during the peak of the health crisis.
Market participants will monitor the University of Michigan consumer confidence index at 4:00 pm.
Moving on to market movers, the CAC 40 is led by Bureau Veritas (+1.99%) and TotalEnergies (+1.44%), while Renault (-3.24%) takes the penultimate position on the Paris stock exchange. The car manufacturer is heading towards a fifth consecutive session of decline. Forvia (-4.78%) and Valeo (-4.60%) are also under pressure after recording a decline in their activity in the first quarter.
Furthermore, Spie (+7.13%) shines at the top of the SBF 120 index, with the specialist in electrical and mechanical engineering reporting a less pronounced production decrease than anticipated. Following closely behind is Seb (+5.48%), which reported a 42% increase in operational profitability to 72 million euros. At the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Electrolux (-23%) is heavily penalized after a disappointing quarter.
On the foreign exchange market, the euro slightly rises by 0.02% against the dollar, to 1.1686 USD.
Context: The article provides a snapshot of the current state of European stock markets, geopolitical developments, and economic indicators, highlighting key insights and market movements. Fact Check: The information shared is accurate and reflects current events in the financial and economic landscape.
