BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks declined on Thursday as a surge in oil prices fueled inflation worries. The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, briefly topped $100 a barrel on supply concerns following Iranian attacks on commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.
As the U.S. campaign of airstrikes in Iran entered its 13th day, there were no signs the conflict was subsiding.
The pan European Stoxx 600 dropped half a percent to 599.28 after falling 0.6 percent on Wednesday.
The German DAX dipped 0.4 percent, France's CAC 40 shed half a percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.4 percent.
In corporate news, Swiss Life Holding, Europe's leading life insurer, slumped 4.2 percent after its fee business slipped further from a key three-year target and asset management earnings fell in 2025.
German automaker BMW fell 2.4 percent after reporting a 3 percent decline in full-year net profit.
Reinsurer Hannover Re rallied 3.2 percent after reporting a rise in FY net income and confirming 2026 guidance.
Daimler Truck Holding climbed 2.2 percent after it guided for a broadly stable 2026 ?profit margin in its industrial business.
Energy company RWE gained 2 percent after meeting its financial guidance for 2025.
Online retailer Zalando jumped 7.6 percent after reporting better-than-expected 2025 fiscal results.
Financial services group Legal & General advanced 1.7 percent as it announced the commencement of the first tranche of its £1.2 billion share buyback program.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
