Mar 23 ,2026
Synopsis
European equity markets indicate a sharply lower open mirroring sentiment across Asian markets. South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan the heaviest decliners with chip and related tech stocks under acute pressure. Nikkei hit year-to-date low and Hang Seng lowest since mid-2025. S&P 500 futures extending Friday declines. Bond markets under pressure with JGB and Treasury yield curves steepening. Crude swinging higher following initially tepid start. Gold and silver experiencing heavy losses. Dollar strongest against Korean, steady against majors. Bitcoin down to two-week low.
Iran conflict threatening to escalate after Trump gave 48-hour deadline to reopen Strait of Hormuz or US would begin striking Iran's power plants, prompting Tehran to threaten retaliation against Gulf energy, IT and desalination infrastructure. Some skepticism whether threats will be carried out given consequences and Bessent said sometimes have to escalate to deescalate. Signs US allies moving towards providing support to reopen Strait of Hormuz as US continues military efforts to unblock the waterway with strikes along shoreline, and more reports Trump weighing troop deployment.
Iran conflict continues to drive market angst amid risk of meaningful impact on Gulf energy supplies should US and Tehran carry out their latest threats. Elevated energy prices having more pronounced effects on bond markets with yields rising sharply as rise in inflation expectations, drives hawkish rate repricing. Central banks are becoming more attuned to upside inflation risks, leading markets to price in rate hikes at Fed, ECB and BoE. At same time, prospect of higher energy-driven inflation fanning concerns about demand destruction
Over the weekend, in France, second round of municipal elections show Socialists and allies secure the big four cities - Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Lille, while far-right Nationals made gains in mid-sized and smaller towns. In Italy, people are voting on whether to change its constitution. In macro releases out of the region today, Jan Spain trade balance is due at 9:00 GMT, followed by Ireland Feb PPI at 11:00 GMT and Eurozone Mar flash consumer confidence at 15:00 GMT.
In corporate news of note, focus on M&A as Poste Italiane (PST.IM) launches offer to acquire Telecom Italia (TIT.IM) for ~€10.8B. Delivery Hero (DHER.GR) divests foodpanda business in Taiwan to Grab for $600M on a cash and debt free basis.
Politics/Macro/World News
Top company news
Earnings/updates
SZG.GR (Salzgitter Group) -- confirms prelim FY25 and FY26 outlook as per 10-Feb update; announces €0.20/sh dividend
DIA.IM (Diasorin) -- FY net income €223M ex-items vs FactSet €179.4M [11 est, €172.5-184M]
HBH.GR (Hornbach Holding) -- prelim Q4 adj EBIT (€34.8M) vs FactSet (€37.4M) [2 est, (€39.3)-(35.5M)]
ELPE.GA (HELLENiQ ENERGY Holdings) -- provides update on potential effects of the ongoing crisis in the Persian Gulf
ELO.NO (Elopak) -- trading update: expects Q1 revenue below €300M vs FactSet €329.4M [5 est, €325.1-339M]
M&A
TIT.IM (Telecom Italia) -- Poste Italiane launches offer to acquire Telecom Italia for ~€10.8B
DBK.GR (Deutsche Bank) -- Kotak Mahindra Bank selected as preferred buyer for Deutsche Bank's India retail business in deal valued at INR45B (€415.5M) - Economic Times
DHER.GR (Delivery Hero) -- divests foodpanda business in Taiwan to Grab for $600M on a cash and debt free basis
SOON.SW (Sonova Holding) -- plans Consumer Hearing divestment to fully focus on core hearing care; targets revenues CHF6B by FY2030/31; confirms FY 2025/26 outlook with growth expected at low end of guidance
SPI.LN (Spire Healthcare Group)
Bridgepoint Advisers issues statement confirming it does not intend to make an offer for Spire Healthcare Group
Triton also confirms that it does not intend to make firm offer for Spire Healthcare
JUVE.IM (Juventus Football Club) -- Juventus Football Club acquires J|hotel property for €23M
+TAP.PL (Transportes A+â-¬reos Portugueses S.A.) -- IAG said to be leaning toward ending bid to acquire TAP Air Portugal -- Bloomberg
Healthcare
NOVN.SW (Novartis)
Novartis's J-SAMIT trial of Entresto meets primary endpoint
presents new data on early symptom relief and long-term control in complex skin diseases at AAD 2026
BAYN.GR (Bayer) -- announces first approval for low-dose MRI contrast agent in Japan
BSLN.SW (Basilea) -- announces start of first‑in‑human study of novel antibiotic BAL2420
EVT.GR (Evotec) -- Just-Evotec Biologics Inc selected by BARDA for up to $10M filovirus antibody manufacturing program
GALD.SW (Galderma Group) -- Galderma receives US FDA approval for Restylane Contour for the correction of temple hollowing
ALSEN.FP (Sensorion) -- six-month update from the Audiogene Phase 1/2 Trial of SENS-501 and Advances GJB2-GT
Other
ORA.FP (Orange) -- board appoints Frédéric Sanchez as Chairman
BMPS.IM (Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena) -- Monte dei Paschi to discuss whether Luigi Lovaglio can remain CEO at board meeting on Monday 23-Mar - Bloomberg
NDX1.GR (Nordex) -- receives new order for supply and installation of 11 N175/6.X wind turbines for the Jasikovo wind farm in eastern Serbia totaling 70 MW
SAMPO.FH (Sampo) -- receives approval for its extended Group Partial Internal Model
Key rating changes
Upgrades
BEAN.SW (BELIMO Holding) -- to neutral from sell at Van Lanschot Kempen
DAL.IM (Datalogic) -- to buy from hold at Kepler Cheuvreux
KBX.GR (Knorr-Bremse) -- to buy from hold at Metzler Capital Markets
SAGA.LN (Saga Plc) -- to buy from hold at Peel Hunt
TGYM.IM (Technogym) -- to overweight from neutral at Cantor Fitzgerald
Downgrades
SDZ.SW (Sandoz Group) -- to sector perform from outperform at RBC Capital Markets
TEP.FP (Teleperformance) -- to neutral from buy at Citi
SNI.NO (Stolt-Nielsen) -- to hold from buy at DNB Carnegie
Other Actions
HBAN.SW (Helvetia Baloise Holding) -- reinstated overweight at JPMorgan; prior rating was neutral
GIGA.NO (Gigante Salmon) -- initiated buy at Pareto
GF.SW (Georg Fischer) -- initiated buy at Van Lanschot Kempen
NTI.NO (Norsk Titanium) -- initiated buy at Pareto
Data
Nikkei (3.48%) to 51515.49
Hang Seng (4.09%) to 24242.23
Shanghai Composite (3.92%) to 3802.05
S&P futures (50.3) vs prior close of 6559.0
€-$ (0.0006) or (0.05%) to 1.1534
$-¥ +0.14 or +0.09% to 159.45
€-¥ +0.04 or +0.02% to 183.88
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