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European equity indices opened slightly lower on Monday, as investors took a cautious approach to start the week amid key geopolitical developments and the release of eurozone inflation data.
By 03:05 ET (07:05 GMT), the DAX index in Germany was down 0.1%, France’s CAC 40 lost 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. declined 0.3%.
UK-EU Summit and Ukraine Peace Talks in Focus
Tensions and diplomacy dominated the early week headlines. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to host European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in London for a major U.K.-EU summit, where announcements are likely on a new defense and security pact, streamlined trade regulations, and greater mobility arrangements.
Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin later Monday, following unsuccessful Ukraine peace talks in Turkey last week. European leaders have voiced strong support for a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Trump and endorsed by Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that “President Putin must show he wants peace” by honoring the proposed truce, warning that sanctions remain on the table should Russia resist negotiations.
Final Eurozone CPI to Support Rate Cut Expectations
The main economic release today is the final consumer price index (CPI) for the eurozone in April. Expectations are for a monthly rise of 0.6% and an annual gain of 2.2%, consistent with preliminary data.
This inflation trajectory continues to support the European Central Bank’s dovish tilt, with a potential rate cut in June marking what could be the ECB’s eighth cut in a year as it seeks to stimulate sluggish growth.
Trump’s Tax Plan Clears Committee as US Credit Woes Linger
In the U.S., the House Ways and Means Committee advanced President Trump’s sweeping tax bill, setting up a full House vote. The proposal, estimated to add $3–5 trillion to the national debt, was cited by Moody’s in its recent downgrade of the U.S. sovereign credit rating to Aa1 from AAA.
Ryanair Sees Recovery, Diageo Flags Tariff Impact
In earnings news:
- Ryanair offered an upbeat forecast, citing strong summer demand and fare recovery, despite reporting a 16% annual profit decline.
- Diageo posted a 5.9% rise in third-quarter organic sales and confirmed its full-year guidance, but flagged a $150 million impact from U.S. tariffs. The drinks giant also launched a $500 million cost-cutting plan to preserve margins.
Oil Retreats on China Data and US Downgrade
Crude prices fell as traders digested mixed signals from China’s latest economic readings and Moody’s U.S. downgrade.
- Brent crude fell 0.8% to $64.89
- WTI crude dropped 0.8% to $61.46
While industrial production in China beat expectations, weaker-than-expected retail sales hinted at slowing domestic demand. Additionally, lingering uncertainty over the Iran nuclear deal and the broader implications of the U.S. credit downgrade weighed on sentiment.
Despite today’s decline, both oil benchmarks remain up over 1% for the month, thanks to last week’s lift from the temporary U.S.-China tariff truce.
Markets remain highly sensitive to geopolitical signals and central bank policy cues, with investors awaiting further clarity on peace talks, tax legislation in the U.S., and any forward guidance from European and American monetary authorities.
