17.08.202616:35:17UTC+00European Stocks Ease Further

European equities ended slightly lower on Monday as the ongoing climb in energy prices deepened macroeconomic headwinds for the region. The Euro STOXX 50 slipped 0.1% to 6,530, while the STOXX Europe 600 fell 0.2% to 656.

European natural gas prices extended their rally toward multi‑year highs, as the prolonged blockage of LNG tankers from the Middle East compounded an existing shortfall in renewable power generation in central Europe. Low river levels forced multiple nuclear power plants to suspend operations, further tightening the region’s energy supply.

Government bond yields in major economies climbed to multi‑decade highs, weighing on banks and consumer‑sensitive luxury names. Santander, Deutsche Bank, LVMH, and Adidas declined between 1% and 3.4%.

In contrast, ASML gained 2.6%, tracking US AI‑related stocks after strong results from Anthropic. Argenx also advanced 1% following positive trial results for its drug Vyvgart.