European stocks were sharply lower on Wednesday, with weak German data, uncertainty ahead of Sunday's first round presidential vote in France and hawkish comments from Fed Governor Lael Brainard weighing on sentiment.
Markets also await fresh sanctions to punish Moscow over alleged atrocities in Ukraine, something Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky described as "war crimes".
The European Commission has already proposed new sanctions including banning Russian coal imports, raising worries about a new global supply challenge.
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Business News
June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.