We don’t support this browser anymore.
This means our website may not look and work as you would expect. Read more about browsers and how to update them here.

Europe midday: Shares mixed as US tariff uncertainty hits sentiment

Tue 08 July 2025 10:49 | A A A

No recommendation

No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal. Hargreaves Lansdown may not share ShareCast's (powered by Digital Look) views.

Market latest

FTSE 100 | FTSE 250 | Paris CAC 40 | Dow Jones | NASDAQ

8854.18 | Positive 47.65 (0.54%)
Graph

Prices delayed by at least 15 minutes

(Sharecast News) - European shares were lower on Tuesday as uncertainty over US tariff policy continued to hit sentiment and traders looked for any progress on an EU trade deal with Washington.

The pan-regional Stoxx 600 index was down 0.06% at 543 in early deals with Germany's DAX outperforming with a 0.57% gain and the UK's FTSE 100 up 0.13%.

Traders are waiting to see whether the EU will reach a deal with Washington on trade, a day after US President Donald Trump slapped a raft of new tariff threats on major Asian players such as Japan and South Korea.

Trump also signed an executive order on Monday, extending the date on which the "reciprocal" tariffs will take effect to August 1, from the previous deadline of July 9. However, he said the new cut off date could be shifted if countries made proposals.

Interactive Investor head of markets Richard Hunter said US markets had come off recent highs "as investors gave the thumbs down to the latest round of tariff threats".

"Optimism was predicated on hopes that the worst of the trade tensions had passed, giving relief to global economic prospects and with limited damage visible thus far on the measures already taken," he said.

"This is now being tested again as the president confirmed that several letters had been sent to countries where there is a trade imbalance, most notably with the likes of Japan, South Korea and South Africa."

"The further extension of the tariff deadline serves only to kick the can down the road. The fact remains that there will be some economic imbalances which could be far reaching, and investors are likely to remain skittish until such time as the clouds clear."

In equity news, Swedish investment firm Kinnevik jumped after reporting a sharp improvement in year-on-year profit in the second quarter.

Zealand Pharma gained 3.5% after Barclays initiated coverage of the Danish biotechnology company with an "overweight" rating.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com

    Daily market update emails

    • FTSE 100 riser and faller updates
    • Breaking market news, plus the latest share research, tips and broker comments

    Register now for free market updates

    The value of investments can go down in value as well as up, so you could get back less than you invest. It is therefore important that you understand the risks and commitments. This website is not personal advice based on your circumstances. So you can make informed decisions for yourself we aim to provide you with the best information, best service and best prices. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment please contact us for advice.