European stocks close up 0.44% German commercial bank surges over 8%

SighingCashier · 2026-03-16T18:18:01+00:00

Trump is increasing pressure on various countries, hoping to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is expected to bring down international oil prices and trigger a rebound in US and European stock markets. UniCredit Bank plans to increase its stake in Commerzbank shares, which is stimulating the stock price to rise. Multiple central banks will hold policy meetings this week, with market focus concentrated on how the Middle East situation impacts inflation and interest rates.

SighingCashier

2026-03-16 18:18:01

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U.S. President Trump increased pressure on various countries, hoping to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The news supported a decline in international oil prices on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average soaring by 617 points at one point. European stocks also fluctuated higher, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 index closing up 0.44% at 598 points.

New York crude oil prices fell from a daily high of $102.57 per barrel to as low as $92.97, a decline of 5.82%.

UniCredit, an Italian bank, proposed increasing its stake in Commerzbank to over 30%. It is expected that UniCredit’s bid will be about 4% above Commerzbank’s current stock price, potentially paving the way for a full acquisition. The news caused Commerzbank’s stock to jump 8.6%, while UniCredit rose 0.5%.

The UK FTSE 100 index closed at 10,317 points, up 0.55% or 56 points; Germany’s DAX index closed at 23,564 points, up 0.5% or 116 points; France’s CAC 40 index closed at 7,935 points, up 0.31% or 24 points; Italy’s FTSE MIB index closed at 44,347 points, up 0.07% or 30 points; Spain’s IBEX 35 index closed at 17,089 points, up 0.18% or 30 points.

On Sunday, U.S. President Trump stated in an interview with the Financial Times that Washington is seeking to pressure Beijing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which may delay his planned visit to China later this month.

This week, the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, and Bank of England will all hold policy meetings, becoming market focal points. However, Middle East conflicts pushing oil prices higher and increasing inflation expectations have already dampened market forecasts of rate cuts.

The Federal Reserve’s two-day policy meeting begins Tuesday. Market expectations are that the federal funds rate target range will remain between 3.5% and 3.75%. It is also estimated that the Bank of Japan, European Central Bank, Bank of England, and Bank of Canada will hold steady. Investors are watching how central banks interpret the impact of Middle East tensions on inflation and interest rate trends.

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