BERLIN, GERMANY – MARCH 16: A truck and a cyclist pass a gas station showing gasoline prices well above EUR 2.00 per liter on March 16, 2026 in Berlin, Germany. The German government, in response to the dramatic increase in gasoline prices in Germany since the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli military conflict with Iran, is considering new legislation to help reduce price increases. Gasoline prices have risen more in Germany than anywhere else in Europe. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images
European stocks are expected to open slightly higher on Tuesday as investors prepare for President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, scheduled for later in the day.
that of London FTSE100 is expected to open up 0.2%, according to IG data. that of France CAC 40 is on track to increase by 0.2%, while that of Germany Dax expected to open up 0.1%.
European markets are returning from a 4-day Easter break, after finishing Thursday’s session in mixed territory.
Investors are having difficulty digesting the mixed messages from the American administration on a possible resolution of the conflict. Trump threatened to target Iran’s civilian infrastructure if a peace deal was not reached in less than 24 hours, while signaling that Iranian leaders were negotiating “in good faith.”
In a speech Monday, Trump reiterated his demand that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, which would allow traffic to begin flowing again on the route vital to global energy supplies. He warned that the United States would decimate all bridges and power plants within four hours of missing that deadline.
Asia-Pacific markets saw volatile trading on Tuesday, with major indexes posting losses during the morning session as uncertainty surrounding the war weighed on investor confidence.
Investors will also be watching UK and Eurozone manufacturing PMI data for March, released later on Tuesday, for the latest evidence of the impact of the war in Iran on the European economy.
—Anniek Bao of CNBC also contributed to this report.
