Live Markets: FOMO prevails

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17/04/2026 10:55

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STOXX 600 up 0.4%

Luxury, tech higher, energy weak

Alstom slumps after trading update

Wall St futures rise

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FOMO PREVAILS

The conflict in the Middle East has not yet been resolved, but equities have been tracking higher - which has raised a few eyebrows about why exactly markets are feeling so positive.

Maybe it's just FOMO.

"Equity markets have once again shown incredible resilience against adversity. Ceasefire has lifted investor sentiment and sent most indices back to, or even above, their pre-war levels, with the U.S. and Tech now firmly in the lead," European equity strategists at Barclays said in a note.

     "However, given the war is not over yet, the buoyant stock market looks to be pricing in a lot of hope," they added.

The economic impact of the war is still growing as the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted and peace talks have not led to a resolution so far, the strategists said.

     "'Easy' de-escalation gains" are now likely over, and for equities to keep rising, they argued, equities need oil and rates to confirm that the war is in fact over. Positioning could however be an argument for equities to overshoot, they added.

"Meeting many of our clients this week, it was pretty evident that FOMO prevails. Most would rather be in the market than out, on the view that 'equities want to go up, no matter what'," the strategists said.

(Sophie Kiderlin)

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EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS:

STEADY START, SLUGGISH WEEK CLICK HERE

EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: FUTURES SOFT CLICK HERE

MARKETS CATCH THEIR BREATH AS WEEKEND DIPLOMACY BECKONS CLICK HERE

How US markets have performed this year https://www.reuters.com/graphics/AUTOMATED-20260416/US-INDEX-COMPARISON-YTD/zjpqmodblpx/chart.png