Stocks advance, oil falls as traders eye US-Iran ceasefire

AFP | London

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European and US stocks advanced Tuesday as investors weighed first-quarter corporate earnings alongside uncertainty over the fragile USIran ceasefire.

Oil prices pulled back after the two sides traded fire as they vied for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial export route.

Wall Street's main indices advanced as trading got underway in New York, with the Nasdaq setting a new all-time high as tech stocks rebounded.

"US equities continue to get a boost from the first quarter earnings season,"

said Trade Nation analyst David Morrison. He noted the year-on-year earnings growth rate over 27%, which if it holds up would make it the strongest quarter since the post-Covid rebound.

In Europe, Paris rose 0.7% and Frankfurt advanced 1.4% in afternoon deals.

London's FTSE 100 index fell more than 1% as traders returned from the UK bank holiday.

The index was weighed by a sharp drop to the share price of banking giant HSBC, whose first-quarter earnings missed expectations as profits were hit by a surprise $400 million fraud-related charge and economic risks from the Middle East crisis.

Italian bank UniCredit jumped more than six percent in Milan after it reported a sharp rise in first-quarter net profit.

"First-quarter corporate earnings have largely been robust so far which has helped to sustain global equities despite the uncertain backdrop," said AJ Bell head of markets Dan Coatsworth.

"However, the longer the situation goes on without any sign of a lasting resolution, the harder it will be for investors to remain positive," he added.

Oil price falls

International oil benchmark Brent North Sea fell around 2.7% to about $111 per barrel after sharp gains the previous day.

Crude prices surged Monday after the US military said it hit six Iranian boats threatening commercial shipping and its forces repelled missile and drones.

Fears that the ceasefire could fall apart weighed on Asian equities, with Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Bangkok, Manila and Wellington all down.

Sydney also retreated as the Australian central bank hiked interest rates for the third straight meeting, citing rising energy prices.

Tokyo and Shanghai were closed for holidays.