Markets at a glance
By 03:05 ET (07:05 GMT) on Thursday, the pan-European Stoxx 600 was down 0.4%. Germany's Dax fell 0.5%, and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 retreated 0.6%. France's CAC 40 bucked the trend, gaining 0.3%.
Geopolitical backdrop
Investors remained attentive to developments around the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. President Donald Trump said he had indefinitely extended a ceasefire in the Iran conflict. Trump also told U.S. media that renewed negotiations with Iran are "possible" as soon as Friday. In a social media post earlier in the week, the president said the ceasefire was extended at Pakistan's request and that it would stay in place "until such time as" Iranian officials present a "unified proposal" for peace.
Yet uncertainty over the outlook for talks intensified after Iran attacked three ships near the Strait of Hormuz and seized two of them in the hours following the ceasefire announcement. The Iranian action was described as a response to an ongoing American blockade of Iranian ports and coast.
Energy market signal
Concerns that the recent maritime incidents could trigger further supply interruptions through the Strait of Hormuz - a vital corridor for global oil shipments - helped push crude prices back above $100 a barrel. Although oil is off the initial spike seen at the start of the conflict in late February, prices remain well above levels before the fighting began.
Market participants flagged that any additional disruption to flows through the strait would be a focal point for energy-sensitive sectors and could amplify cost pressures across the broader economy.
Economic data and outlook
Investors were also looking ahead to business activity figures for the Eurozone currency area later in the day. Analysts suggested the data could offer a read on how companies are adjusting to the headwinds from the energy shock and broader geopolitical uncertainty.
Corporate earnings: mixed signals
Amid the geopolitical noise, corporate results provided differentiated support for markets. In France, cosmetics giant L'Oreal delivered its fastest quarterly growth in two years. The strong top-line performance, reported alongside concerns about how the Iran conflict could affect consumer spending, helped lift the stock by more than 8% and underpinned gains in the CAC 40.
Hygiene group Essity saw its shares rise after reporting quarterly core income that beat analyst estimates. The company said increased volumes helped offset lower product prices, and its chief executive told Reuters that the firm is preparing to raise prices to compensate for higher energy costs.
Retailer Sainsbury's issued a cautionary note about the impact of the war on customer shopping patterns, warning the conflict will weigh on consumer behaviour. The outlook dragged the supermarket's shares down by more than 5%.
Aerospace supplier Safran posted first-quarter revenue that exceeded expectations and reiterated its 2026 outlook, prompting a modest uptick in its share price. Drugmaker Sanofi also delivered a beat on first-quarter profit and revenue, driven by sales of its asthma and eczema treatment Dupixent, with the stock rising by over 2%.
Market implications
Taken together, the session highlighted how geopolitical developments remain a primary driver of energy prices and risk sentiment, while corporate earnings continue to play a significant role in shaping sectoral performance. Energy-intensive industries and consumer-facing companies were among those most clearly affected during the trading day.
Trading desks noted that while the ceasefire extension offered a potential path to de-escalation, the subsequent maritime incidents underscored the fragility of that prospect and left traders seeking any sign of renewed diplomacy between Washington and Tehran.
Looking ahead
Markets will monitor incoming economic data for the Eurozone and any further updates on negotiations or maritime security in the Persian Gulf. For now, investors appear to be balancing geopolitical risk with corporate results and capital expenditures related to transformative technologies, while closely watching oil markets for indications of renewed supply pressure.