LONDON — European stock markets began the new trading week in positive territory as investors considered geopolitical developments in Iran and fresh pressure on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
pan-european Stocks 600 The index tentatively ended Monday’s session up more than 0.1%, with major exchanges in the green and sectors mixed from the morning’s red.
Market players are closely watching developments in Iran this week after widespread protests were met with a violent crackdown by Iranian authorities. US President Donald Trump is considering options for taking action against Iran, according to multiple reports on Sunday.
MS Now and other media outlets, citing U.S. officials, said the president has been presented with potential plans ranging from a possible military attack to actions that do not involve the military.
Trump’s aides reportedly plan to brief the president on Tuesday on military, cyber and economic measures to carry out his threats.
BE Semiconductor Industries expects fourth-quarter orders to exceed 250 million euros ($292.2 million), up 43% from 174.7 million euros in the third quarter and 105% year-over-year. BESI, which designs and manufactures semiconductor equipment, closed up 7.51%, breaking its previous gains that hit its highest price since July 2024. The Dutch company is scheduled to announce its fourth quarter results next month.
share in heinekenMeanwhile, the stock price fell 6% after CEO and Chairman Dorf van den Brink announced his intention to resign on May 31st. It had recouped some losses by mid-afternoon and was last seen down 4.14%. The Amsterdam-based beer giant’s supervisory board has announced that it will begin the process of finding a replacement for Van den Brink, who has held the position for almost six years.
Paris listed stocks Abibax The French biotech stock soared as much as 30% on Monday, with the stock reportedly still the subject of takeover rumors, but was last seen trading almost 5.05% higher after a temporary trading halt. The company is up nearly 1,700% over the last year, but has experienced some wild swings over the past week.
In other news, US stocks fell at the opening bell after the Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in an apparent escalation in President Trump’s efforts to pressure the central bank. They were last seen changing little.
In a video statement Sunday evening, Chairman Powell acknowledged that federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation in connection with testimony before the Senate Banking Committee regarding renovations to the Fed’s office buildings.
Powell said the investigation was another attempt by Trump to influence the central bank’s monetary policy and that the president would not bow to pressure. His term as chairman is scheduled to end in May.
There are no major earnings or data releases in Europe on Monday.
—CNBC’s Jennifer Elias, John Meloy and Yun Li contributed to this market report.
