Europe mixed amid tentative progress in Middle East conflict
A new glimmer of hope has emerged to end the war in the Middle East. Two months after the start of hostilities between the United States and Iran, Tehran has proposed a new peace plan, notably mentioning a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Ninety minutes after the opening bell, European markets are showing caution, trading in mixed territory. The CAC 40 is up 0.19% at 8,157.11 points, following two consecutive declines. The Eurostoxx 50 is advancing 0.05% to 5,863.25 points. Frankfurt and Amsterdam are retreating.
Published on 04/28/2026 at 04:45 am EDT
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According to this plan, discussions regarding the Iranian nuclear program would be conducted in a second phase.
Donald Trump gathered his top security advisors yesterday to review Iran's proposals, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed, following press reports that Tehran issued a new offer via Pakistani mediators.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called on Tehran to make 'major concessions and radically change its posture' to find a 'lasting solution' to the Middle Eastern crisis during a meeting of the UN Security Council.
In this context, oil prices continue to rise. Around 10:30 a.m., Brent crude is up 2.48% at 110.99 dollars. WTI is advancing 2.26% to 98.90 USD.
Air Liquide loses steam, Nexans, bp, and Canal+ rally
Regarding individual stocks, Air Liquide (-2.71%) is the laggard of the CAC 40. Shares of the industrial gas producer are falling after a disappointing quarterly performance. Over the first three months of 2026, it generated revenue of 6.786 billion euros, down 3.5% on a reported basis.
Conversely, Nexans (+7.97%) is climbing and leads the SBF 120. The cable specialist posted standard revenue of 1.5 billion euros in the first quarter of 2026, a 1.3% increase in total data. For 2026, and in line with the 2025-2028 strategic roadmap unveiled in November 2024, Nexans confirmed it expects to achieve adjusted EBITDA between 730 million euros and 810 million euros and free cash flow between 210 million euros and 310 million euros.
In Europe, bp (+2.45%) ranks first on the FTSE 100. The oil group published results this morning for the first quarter of 2026 that significantly exceeded performances from the end of the previous year. Driven by strong execution in its trading activities, the group is strengthening its shareholder remuneration policy while adjusting its capital structure. BP reported an underlying profit of 3.198 billion dollars, a significant jump compared to the level recorded in the previous quarter (1.541 billion dollars).
In London, Canal+ Group (+3.18%) is advancing on the back of revenue up 41% year-on-year for the first 3 months of 2026 to 2.169 billion euros (excluding MultiChoice Group). The media company is maintaining its targets for the current fiscal year: it expects stable revenue for 2026, an adjusted operating result of 735 million euros, and free cash flow (FCF) before settlement of the VAT dispute and restructuring costs exceeding 250 million euros.
This evening, after the European market close, heavyweights will in turn unveil their first-quarter results: Adp, Alten, Airbus, Teleperformance, Worldline.
ECB in the spotlight on Thursday
In addition to geopolitical developments and the publication of quarterly results, investors will look to Thursday's ECB monetary policy decision. It will be unveiled at 2:15 p.m.
On this point, Bénédicte Kukla, chief strategist at Indosuez Wealth Management, believes that 'the ECB should remain in a wait-and-see mode during its April 30 meeting, maintaining an observational stance while financial markets tighten conditions themselves: the 10-year German Bund yield has exceeded 3% (compared to approximately 0% at the start of the war in Ukraine), which increases the cost of credit and reduces the need for immediate ECB intervention.'
For his part, Martin Wolburg, senior economist at Generali Investments, explains that 'President Lagarde indicated in March that even a brief overshoot of inflation could justify a cautious hike in key rates, for reasons of credibility and expectations.'



















