According to information reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) yesterday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) is preparing to orchestrer a massive release of its strategic oil reserves. This operation, intended to curb the surge in crude prices, would surpass the historical record of 2022, when 182 million barrels were injected into the market following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine.

The IEA member countries, numbering around thirty and mostly oil importers, were convened for an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday. They are set to vote this Wednesday on the proposal made by the agency, the WSJ explains.

Wednesday will also be marked by a videoconference of G7 leaders regarding the economic consequences of the war, which briefly pushed oil prices above 100 dollars per barrel earlier this week.

Regarding the clashes, Donald Trump announced yesterday on his Truth Social platform that the United States has destroyed ten naval mine-laying vessels. The American president is threatening significant "military consequences" if Iran mines the Strait of Hormuz. "If for any reason mines have been laid and they are not removed immediately, the military consequences will be unprecedented," he added.

For its part, the Israeli army claimed last night to have launched a "wave of strikes" on the Iranian capital, targeting "targets of the Iranian terrorist regime."

On the Iranian side, the Tehran regime "is not seeking a ceasefire," asserted the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in a message posted on X. "We believe that the aggressor must be punished and taught a lesson that will deter it from attacking Iran again."

Elis and Inditex shine, Eurazeo and Canal+ tumble

Alongside the conflict in Iran, the news is also marked by the publication of annual results from several companies.

In Paris, Elis (+3.35%) shows one of the strongest gains on the SBF 120 following a solid 2025 fiscal year. EBITDA grew by 5.6% year-on-year to reach 1.7 billion euros, in line with the consensus (1.697 billion euros). Net income is up 8.6% to 366.6 million euros. Revenues increased by 5.5% to 4.79 billion euros.

Eurazeo (-6.27%) is the laggard of the SBF 120, penalized by a group share net loss of 403 million euros in 2025 despite record fundraising of 5.5 billion euros (+28%).

Forvia is retreating (-0.10%) despite an upgrade from Citigroup. The American bank moved from Sell to Neutral on the stock, raising its price target from 10.50 to 12 euros. To justify this decision, analysts cited improved execution and a more balanced risk-reward profile after the recent sell-off.

In Europe, with gains of 2.21%, Inditex posted one of the strongest increases in the STOXX Europe 600 index on Wednesday morning after unveiling record and better-than-expected annual results, a performance the Spanish retail giant attributes to its capacity for innovation, diversification, and the flexibility of its "integrated" business model. For its 2025/2026 fiscal year ending in late January, the owner of the Zara chain reported sales up 3.2% to 39.9 billion euros, with growth reaching 7% at constant exchange rates.

In London, Canal+ (-17%) is falling despite announcing higher 2025 revenue and profit, as well as new growth plans following the acquisition of MultiChoice Group.

Within the Dax, Rheinmetall (-2.21%) is pulling back. The German defense group published 2025 results that were generally below market expectations, particularly regarding operating profit and cash flow. Despite these figures being deemed mixed by analysts, business momentum remains very solid, with a record order book and prospects for strong growth in 2026 driven by European rearmament.

On the statistical front, eyes will be turned toward the United States with the publication at 1:30 p.m. of the Consumer Price Index for February. This will be followed by the weekly oil inventory report at 3:30 p.m.