European stocks finish lower as oil prices jump despite reserve release

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An oil pumpjack operates in the Inglewood Oil Field on March 10, 2026 near Los Angeles, California.

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LONDON — European stocks finished lower on Thursday as investors monitored the Iran war and volatile global oil prices.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 finished the session about 0.7% lower, with underlying sectors painting a mixed picture.

Chemicals and utilities led gains, while bank stocks dragged on the index as investor concerns over their exposure to the Middle East gathered steam.

Oil prices are in focus after the International Energy Agency on Wednesday agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil to address the supply disruption triggered by the Iran war.

The IEA did not set out a timeline for when the stocks would hit the market. It said that the reserves would be released over a timeframe that is appropriate to the circumstances of each of its 32 member countries.

Oil prices rose despite the IEA’s move, with Brent crude hitting $100 a barrel at one point as traders remain unconvinced that the strategic release will offset a global supply shock caused by the war. The international benchmark was last seen up 8.6% at $99.71, while West Texas Intermediate was trading 9.3% higher at $95.32.

In other news, the Trump administration on Wednesday announced new trade investigations into the European Union and more than a dozen other economies.

The probes will be conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters. That law permits the U.S. to impose tariffs on imported goods from other nations found to have engaged in unfair trade practices.

European corporate news

Shares of Leonardo closed 5.7% higher after the Italian defense giant reported stronger-than-expected revenues of 19.5 billion euros ($22.5 billion) and a full-year net profit of 1 billion euros, up 19% from the previous year.

Leonardo said it expects revenues to rise to around 21 billion this year. The group is targeting revenues of 30 billion euros by 2030, with cumulative orders forecasted at 142 billion euros over the next five years.

Abivax shares ended 6.8% higher as rumors re-emerged of a looming takeover bid for the biotech group, which the company denied later in the day.

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The French company was Europe’s best performer in 2025 after publishing surprisingly strong data for a late-stage trial for an ulcerative colitis medicine.

Elsewhere, German auto giant BMW said Thursday that net profit for 2025 exceeded 7 billion euros, slightly above the consensus estimate compiled by LSEG. However, the company cited “tariff-related burdens” facing the wider vehicle sector, which it said would impact its EBIT margin in its automotive division by around 1.25 percentage points this year.

Shares of the carmaker were up 1.3% as markets closed.

In the UK

HSBC shares fell 6% after the bank’s decision to close its Qatar branches indefinitely prompted fresh concerns about its exposure to the Middle East.

The decision on Wednesday came after Tehran announced it would target economic and banking assets associated with the U.S. and Israel in the region, following an attack on an Iranian bank.

Savills announced the $1.1 billion takeover of US-based real estate investment bank Eastdil Secured alongside a solid full-year earnings report.

The U.K.-based real estate agent said profits before tax jumped 11% in 2025 to £145 million ($194 million), as the group revealed its expansion into the US market.

But Savills shares edged lower on the day, sliding 7.2% as investors digested the details of the acquisition.

— CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this market report.

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