European stock market: Investors monitor US-Iran tensions

The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.7% early in the trading session, with tech stocks jumping out to 1.4% gains as all sectors and major bourses headed into the black.

Market focus is largely attuned to geopolitical developments following Washington’s targeted killing of Iran’s top military commander Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. Equity markets fell the past two sessions amid a flight to safety, but look to be changing course as Monday passed with no new escalation in tensions.

Confusion arose however as a letter surfaced showing U.S. plans to pull troops from Iraq, only to be followed by Defense Secretary Mark Esper labeling it “inconsistent” and stating “there has been no decision whatsoever to leave.”

In Asia, equities rose with Japan leading the gains. The Nikkei 225 and Topix Index both rose around 1.5%, while MSCI’s broadest index of Asian shares excluding Japan climbed almost 0.8%.