Europe’s Stoxx 600 falls as oil prices jump, but secures fifth monthly gain

EUROPEAN shares fell on Monday (Aug 31) as fresh US-Iran military strikes drove oil prices and bond yields higher, though the benchmark Stoxx 600 marked its fifth consecutive monthly gain.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 was down 0.6 per cent at 651.1 points on the day, with trading volumes subdued as London markets were closed for a bank holiday.

Germany’s DAX dropped 1.2 per cent, the steepest decline among major regional indexes, after data showed German inflation accelerated in August as the Iran conflict lifted energy prices. However, the increase was smaller than expected and core inflation remained stable.

Investors have largely priced in a September interest rate increase from the European Central Bank.

“The stage looks increasingly set for another rate hike at next week’s ECB meeting,” Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING, said in a note.

“The second rate hike this year would also fall into the category of ‘insurance rate hike’, or maybe more to the ECB’s liking: a rate hike to strengthen the ECB’s credibility and to preempt any possible indirect or even second-round effects from the current energy price shock.”

Euro zone inflation figures and US payrolls data will be in focus later this week.

Germany’s policy-sensitive two-year government bond yield hit its highest level since July 2024, taking cues from US Treasuries after Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Friday signalled interest rates may need to rise.

Rising inflation risks

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Energy stocks firmed, tracking a more than 2 per cent jump in Brent crude, which traded around US$90.5 a barrel. TotalEnergies, Orlen and OMV rose between 1.5 per cent and 3.5 per cent.

US forces struck two missile launchers on Iran’s Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, the first known US military action against Iran since late July, prompting Teheran to launch attacks on two US air bases in Jordan, Iranian media reported.

The rise in energy prices has reinforced inflation concerns at a time when investors are already bracing for further policy tightening.

Still, a strong earnings season and continued enthusiasm around artificial intelligence helped the Stoxx 600 to rise 0.3 per cent in August.

Finance leaders from the G20 gather in North Carolina on Monday and Tuesday as elevated energy and commodity prices linked to the Iran war weigh on global growth prospects.

Among other movers, Soitec jumped 6.4 per cent after its chief executive told Reuters that the French chip materials maker is locking customers into multi-year supply agreements with deposits and fixed pricing.

OHB gained 6.3 per cent after the German satellite maker signed a contract worth nearly 1 billion euros (US$1.2 billion) to develop and build 18 satellites for the European Union’s IRIS² secure communications programme.

Bakkafrost dropped 8.4 per cent and was among the top decliners on the Stoxx 600 after the Faroe Islands salmon farmer reported second-quarter results. REUTERS