European stock indices showed little net movement on Tuesday as a spike in oil prices and continuing conflict in the Middle East left markets unsettled. By 03:10 ET (07:10 GMT), the pan-European Stoxx 600 had advanced 0.1%, Germany's Dax was up 0.2%, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 had inched 0.1% higher, and France's CAC 40 was largely unchanged.
Traders were reacting in part to a media report that U.S. President Donald Trump would be open to ending the military campaign against Iran even if Tehran retained de facto control over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lane through which around one-fifth of the world's oil flows. The strait's effective closure for weeks has been a key driver of a historic rise in global oil prices and has raised concerns about a potential recession in economies exposed to higher energy costs.
Brent crude futures, the benchmark for global oil, were trading above $110 a barrel. Before the start of the conflict, Brent had been trading near $70 a barrel, underscoring the scale of the recent escalation in energy prices.
The report said President Trump and his aides concluded that a mission aimed at reopening the strait would push an assault beyond the four- to six-week timeline the administration had considered. The account indicated the administration instead opted to strike Iran's naval and missile capabilities and to seek a reduction in hostilities while applying diplomatic pressure on Tehran. It also noted that, should diplomatic and allied efforts fail, Washington would expect partners in Europe and the Persian Gulf to take the lead in addressing access to the strait.
Market participants were also focused on domestic data that could clarify how the conflict is feeding through to inflation in Europe. Eurozone consumer price data for March was due later in the trading day and was widely expected to shed light on whether rising energy costs are rekindling inflationary pressures across the currency area.
Europe relies heavily on natural gas imports from the Gulf region, with Qatar singled out in market commentary as a major supplier. The report noted that production facilities in that region have been targeted by Iranian air strikes, creating additional uncertainty over future supply and pricing.
Officials at the European Central Bank have indicated that interest rate increases could be considered if rising energy costs revive inflation. ECB President Christine Lagarde has said policymakers may need to respond even if price rises do not appear highly persistent.
Economists polled ahead of the data expect headline consumer prices to rise by 2.6% in March, up from 1.9% in February. The ECB's medium-term inflation objective is 2.0%.
Anticipation of a potential ECB rate increase helped push up government bond yields across Europe, though yields were little changed immediately ahead of the consumer price index release. As a reminder for investors, yields move inversely to bond prices.
With oil prices at multi-month highs and geopolitical dynamics still evolving, European markets remained cautious and largely range-bound as participants awaited further clarity from both economic data and developments on the ground in the Middle East.