Global Markets Stabilize as Geopolitical Tensions Recede

Brent crude futures, which spiked 5% during the early European session, retreated to a more modest 1.5% gain as the immediate threat of a broader conflict appeared to diminish. This stabilization proved vital for the STOXX 600, which held steady throughout the day despite lingering pressure from rising energy costs. Markets in Frankfurt, Paris, and London navigated the session with narrow fluctuations, remaining largely insulated from the aggressive volatility hitting tech-heavy indices in Tokyo, Seoul, and on Wall Street.

U.S. futures signaled a potential recovery at the opening bell, rebounding from the heavy selloff that closed out the previous week. While the tech sector remains vulnerable to external shocks, the current focus of traders has shifted toward assessing whether the recent de-escalation in the Middle East will hold, allowing investors to move past the weekend's acute uncertainty.