European stocks closed weak on Friday as the mood remained largely cautious amid an escalation in tensions in the Middle East and news about Hezbollah rejecting the ceasefire agreement with Israel and launching fresh strikes across southern Lebanon.
Concerns about interest rates rose after data showed a stronger than expected growth in U.S. non-farm payroll employment in the month of May. Investors also digested a slew of regional economic data.
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Market Analysis
May 22, 2026 14:46 ET Minutes of the latest Fed policy session was the highlight of the week along with survey data on the U.S. housing market. In Europe, survey data signaled the trends in the euro area private sector. Further, consumer price inflation data from the U.K. was in focus. In Asia, various economic indicators from China drew attention to the health of the economy.