Stocks rally, gas and oil prices plummet: it's a de-escalation effect on the markets

Day of strong volatility in international markets, where gas and oil prices have marked a decisive turnaround after recent tensions. The "bounce" of European stock exchanges benefited from the drop in energy prices, with the futures on methane (TTF) closing at 47 euros per MWh (-16%) and oil giving up about 15%, settling around 80 dollars per barrel. Contributing to the easing were the words of United States President Donald Trump, who suggested a quick conclusion to the hostilities, and the decision of several Gulf countries to reduce daily production levels in an attempt to stabilize the market.

The G7 Energy seeks a common path

As the market reacts, economic diplomacy is moving to avert new speculation. After the principle approval expressed by the finance ministers of the G7 regarding the potential use of strategic stocks, the energy ministers, urgently convened in Paris, have explored the technical modalities of a possible coordinated intervention. In Italy, meanwhile, pressure is growing on the government for immediate measures: Federconsumatori has called for a 20-cent cut in excise duties, emphasizing the need to reactivate the mechanism of mobile excise to mitigate the impact of price increases on end consumers.

Piazza Affari shines

The favorable climate has pushed the stock indices of the Old Continent towards significantly higher closures: Madrid led the race (+2.9%), followed by Milano (+2.6%) and Frankfurt (+2.3%). At Piazza Affari, large-cap stocks shone, particularly in the banking sector, with Unicredit, Mediobanca, and Mps recording gains of over 4%. Also positive was Tim (+3.9%), while Eni ended the session slightly down (-0.6%). Wall Street, on the other hand, maintained a decidedly more cautious profile, moving for most of the session near parity, reflecting a caution that persists across the ocean despite the reduction in energy costs.