BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European shares are seen opening lower on Friday as investors fret about rising inflationary pressures and the outlook for growth.
Oil prices continued to surge as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed and peace negotiations dragged on.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is not rushing to resolve the conflict with Iran, describing Iran's leadership as being in turmoil.
Trump has ruled out striking Iran with a nuclear weapon, while also suggesting that the country may have reloaded its weapons stockpile 'a little bit' during the two-week truce.
U.S. equity futures were mixed, with Nasdaq futures rising after chipmaker Intel delivered strong first-quarter results and issued impressive guidance for Q2.
Asian markets were broadly lower after Iran flaunted its tightened grip over the key Strait of Hormuz.
Regional losses remained capped somewhat after Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks following a meeting in the White House with top U.S. officials.
The dollar was set for its first weekly rise in three weeks amid stalled U.S.-Iran peace talks. Gold extended overnight losses to trade at $4,671 an ounce.
Brent crude futures climbed toward $106 a barrel, extending gains for a fifth consecutive session, marking the longest rally since January on heightened fears of prolonged supply disruptions in the Persian Gulf.
Overnight, U.S. stocks backed down from record closing highs as Iran showed off its control over the Strait of Hormuz with a video of its commandos storming a cargo ship, and activated defense systems in parts of Tehran, following reports of hostile aerial activity.
Media reports suggested that Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has resigned from U.S. negotiations, signaling a shift toward hardline unity.
Adding to uncertainty about the potential for a second round of peace talks, President Trump said he has ordered the Navy to 'shoot and kill any boat' that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, U.S. forces boarded a supertanker carrying Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean. Mixed earnings also weighed on markets, with American Airlines, Honeywell and IBM providing disappointing guidance.
In economic news, initial jobless claims revealed a slight uptick last week and a measure of U.S. business activity hit a three-month high in April.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.9 percent while the S&P 500 and the Dow both dipped by 0.4 percent.
European stocks ended mixed on Thursday as investors reacted to ongoing tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and a mixed bag of corporate earnings.
The pan-European STOXX 600 finished marginally higher as the latest Eurozone PMI data signaled slowing activity alongside rising prices.
While the German DAX and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 both ended about 0.2 percent lower, France's CAC 40 gained 0.9 percent on strong earnings.
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