European stocks declined on Friday, April 24, amid uncertainty in the Middle East, losing their previous advantage over the U.S. stock market since the beginning of the year. Investors fear the impact of high oil prices on global economic growth, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-24/european-stock-returns-are-now-losing-against-the-us-this-year">writes</a>.

'US leadership returns': EU stocks lose ground to US yields

Shell plc

BP p.l.c.

Ryanair Holdings plc

Some strategists warn of correction risks in the U.S. stock market, while others believe that the peak of risk aversion on Wall Street has already passed

"Back to square one": analysts - on what the market has come to after 50 days of war

Amid Friday's easing of tensions in the Middle East and <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/indeksy-ssa-vzleteli-u-nasdaq-composite-samaa-dolgaa-seria-rosta-bolee-cem-za-30-let">new records</a> for U.S. indices, European stocks jumped more than 1.5% in the first seconds of trading on April 20. But then - due to the <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/ssa-zahvatili-sudno-pod-iranskim-flagom-pri-popytke-prorvat-blokadu-tramp">escalation of the Iranian crisis over the weekend</a> - they also fell precipitously. Renewed tensions between the U.S. and Iran could derail the fragile truce between the two countries, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/20/european-markets-stoxx-600-ftse-dax-cac-oil-iran-latest-news.html">reported</a>.

'Early to start celebrating': EU stocks fall amid fresh escalation in Middle East

European stock markets followed Asia-Pacific at the start of the week as investors react to US plans to block the Strait of Hormuz

Stocks in Europe fell as the U.S. prepares to blockade the Strait of Hormuz

US President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-09/trump-vows-troops-to-stay-with-iran-talks-set-amid-fragile-truce">has promised to</a> keep US troops in the Persian Gulf ahead of talks with Iran. The day before, both sides accused each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire, after which Iran again reported the suspension of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Markets, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-09/trump-vows-troops-to-stay-with-iran-talks-set-amid-fragile-truce">points out</a>, reflected this uncertainty: oil prices began to rise again, while stocks in Europe and Asia fell.

Stocks fall, oil at $98: Trump promises to keep U.S. troops in the Middle East

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LVMH Moet Hennessy - Louis Vuitton, Societe Europeenne

Tehran demands legalization of navigation fees in the Strait of Hormuz

Oil collapses, luxury rally, dollar falls: Trump's agreement with Iran has roiled markets

European stocks amid news of a <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/ssa-i-iran-soglasilis-na-dvuhnedel-noe-peremirie-cena-nefti-wti-ruhnula-na-16">two-week ceasefire</a> in the Middle East began trading on April 8 with significant growth, close to the maximum since 2022, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/european-stocks-set-for-biggest-rise-since-2022-on-iran-us-deal">writes</a>. Gas prices in Europe also <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-08/european-gas-futures-tumble-on-us-iran-ceasefire-agreement">fell by</a> 20% at the moment, reaching the lowest level since the beginning of the war.

European stocks jumped nearly 4% on news of a truce with Iran

European stock indices are rising on April 1 following the previous day's <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/akcii-v-ssa-pokazali-lucsij-s-maa-rost-za-odin-den-neft-za-mesac-podorozala-na-63">surge</a> in U.S. stocks on Wall Street - markets are reacting to U.S. President Donald Trump's statements about the <a href="https://oninvest.com/article/tramp-dopustil-zaversenie-vojny-s-iranom-cerez-dve-tri-nedeli">likely end of the</a> war with Iran within two to three weeks, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-01/european-stock-futures-jump-on-optimism-for-iran-war-conclusion">writes.</a>

Hopes for an end to the war have pushed up EU stocks. Why does the analyst advise waiting?

Despite a rebound on the last day of the month, Europe's main Stoxx 600 index is likely to record its biggest drop since 2022 at the end of March

March could be the worst month for European equities since 2022

European stocks began the week with a slight decline, but then came out in the plus, growth is also shown by futures on U.S. stocks - the conflict in the Middle East continues exactly a month, investors are looking for opportunities to cope with further escalation, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/30/european-markets-stoxx-600-ftse-dax-cac-iran-news-oil-prices.html">writes</a> CNBC.

US stock futures rise, oil at $116: What's happening in the markets on 31 days of war

Investors shorted the U.S. market and Asian stocks for the fifth straight week, choosing European energy as a defense

Hedge funds are betting against the US and Asia, Goldman has learned. Why are they waiting for growth in Europe?

TUI AG

The Stoxx Europe 600 lost more than 2% at the opening of trading