European stocks to open higher as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline looms

European stocks to open higher as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline looms


Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on April 20, 2026 in New York City.

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images

LONDON — European stocks are expected to open broadly higher on Tuesday as investors gauge developments ahead of the expiry deadline for the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran.

The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is seen opening slightly higher, with Germany’s DAX up 0.24%, France’s CAC 40 up 0.2% and Italy’s FTSE MIB up 0.6%, according to data from IG.

Global markets are still assessing prospects for peace talks and the possibility of escalation.

The two-week ceasefire agreed between the U.S. and Iran was set to expire at 12:00 a.m. GMT (Tuesday, 08:00 p.m. ET), although U.S. President Donald Trump told Bloomberg on Monday that the truce would end “Wednesday evening Washington time.”

Trump again threatened Iran with overwhelming military force on Monday, saying “lots of bombs [will] start going off” if no deal is reached before the shaky ceasefire expires.

The latest threat, made in a phone call with a PBS News reporter, came as the status of fresh U.S.-Iran peace talks have grown increasingly opaque.

Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.



Source

Japan scraps ban on lethal weapons exports in major shift of pacifist policy
World

Japan scraps ban on lethal weapons exports in major shift of pacifist policy

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi addresses a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo on April 15 2026. Philip Fong | Afp | Getty Images The Japanese government has announced plans to lift a ban on lethal weapons exports, marking the latest shift away from the country’s post-war pacifist policy. In a statement […]

Read More
CNBC Daily Open: Tim Cook finds the new Apple of his eye
World

CNBC Daily Open: Tim Cook finds the new Apple of his eye

Apple’s John Ternus speaks during Apple’s annual worldwide developer conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California, June 5, 2017. Stephen Lam | Reuters Hello, this is Hui Jie writing to you from Singapore, while Leonie is away preparing for CNBC’s CONVERGE LIVE event, featuring names like former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and Capital Group CEO Mike […]

Read More
‘New cards on the battlefield’: U.S., Iran ratchet up rhetoric with peace talks in limbo
World

‘New cards on the battlefield’: U.S., Iran ratchet up rhetoric with peace talks in limbo

The front page of the Javan newspaper (L) and the front page of the Jam Jam newspaper, which features a cartoon of US President Donald Trump drowning in the Strait of Hormuz with the headline “Marine Bluff,” are on sale at a newsstand in Tehran on April 13, 2026. Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty […]

Read More