Europe open: Shares up as traders eye Iran war latest

(Sharecast News) - European shares opened higher on Thursday as traders assessed the latest moves to end the war on Iran and Lebanon. The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was up 0.24% to 618.68 at 0832 BST with all major bourses higher.

US President Donald Trump said via social media that Lebanese and Israeli officials would meet for the first time in three decades although this was disputed by Beirut.

"Global markets have staged one of the fastest recoveries in recent memory...after a bruising start to 2026. The S&P 500 closed at a fresh all-time high yesterday, a powerful reminder of just how quickly sentiment can turn once the outlook begins to stabilise," said Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

"It reinforces a simple yet often-overlooked truth: trying to perfectly time the bottom is exceptionally difficult, even for seasoned investors. In periods of heightened volatility, as we have seen recently, the best course of action is often to stay invested and avoid trying to time the peaks and troughs."

In equity news, Gerresheimer surged as creditors agreed a extension for the submission of its financial accounts.

Tesco jumped after annual results showed a jump in profits despite a warning about economic uncertainty caused by the Iran war.

Barry Callebaut slumped after the Swiss chocolate maker cut its operating profit forecast, blaming supply chain disruptions linked to the Iran war and overcapacity in the cocoa market.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com