FX.co ★ European Shares Lower After Easter Break

On Tuesday, key European stock indexes experienced declines as investors returned from the Easter recess, with both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 decreasing by 0.6%. The downturn was driven by renewed trade tension worries, concerns over economic prospects, and discussions about the Federal Reserve's independence. President Trump heightened his criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, escalating the demand for the central bank to lower interest rates, which has sparked further debate about its autonomy. Simultaneously, trade negotiations concerning tariffs between the US and other nations remain active. Market participants are also closely looking forward to the IMF Spring Meetings this week, where the International Monetary Fund is anticipated to publish an updated global economic outlook. On the corporate side, shares of Novo Nordisk fell approximately 6% following Eli Lilly's release of clinical trial data for its oral GLP-1 drug, which demonstrated safety and effectiveness on par with widely-used injectable treatments. Significant declines were also observed in other major stocks, including SAP (-3.3%), LVMH (-1.2%), and ASML Holding (-2.1%).