European Stocks Surge on Trump's Iran War Timeline

European stocks experienced a strong rebound on April 1, 2026, as investors reacted to President Donald Trump's statement that the U.S. would end its war with Iran in 'two or three weeks.' The Stoxx 600 index rose 2% shortly after the market opened, with most sectors and major indices gaining ground. London's FTSE 100 opened 1.4% higher, Germany's DAX climbed 2.1%, and France's CAC 40 gained 1.9% in early trading. The rally followed a challenging March, which marked the region's worst monthly performance since 2022. The market's optimism was fueled by Trump's remarks, which were seen as reducing geopolitical risks. Brent crude oil fell 0.4% to $103.82 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures edged up 0.3% to $101.71. Asian stocks had risen on Tuesday, and futures data suggested a higher open for Wall Street. Investors will also be watching U.S. President Trump's address later in the day and euro zone employment data due on Wednesday. In corporate news, Vestas, a Danish wind energy developer, announced a 135-megawatt order in the U.S. and a 90-megawatt order in the U.K. Citi analysts upgraded the company with a 'Buy' rating, noting its first-quarter order intake of 4.2 gigawatts. However, Nike's Frankfurt-listed shares fell sharply after the retailer warned of declining sales, particularly in its key China market.