Despite opening on a steady note, the major European markets closed weak on Friday amid worries about the economic impact of the ongoing Middle East war, which entered its seventh day. The mood turned cautious around late morning and then stayed that way till the end of the day's session.
Markets opened higher amid signs of stabilization in the oil market after the United States gave India a waiver to buy Russian oil for 30 days as the Middle East conflict impacts global energy supply.
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Market Analysis
April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.