European equities are poised for a sharply lower open as markets price in a renewed escalation between the U.S. and Iran, triggered by attacks on Gulf tankers that threaten to unravel an emerging ceasefire. Futures signal broad selling pressure across major European indices as investors recalibrate risk exposure at the start of the trading week. The Gulf tanker attacks introduce a direct threat to oil transit routes through one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints, raising the probability of supply disruption and sustained energy price volatility. Energy stocks may see divergent pressure: upstream producers could benefit from a crude price spike while refining-dependent operations face margin compression from feedstock cost increases. The immediate watch points are oil price moves at the open, any official U.S. or Iranian response, and whether ceasefire negotiations formally collapse or hold under the added strain.
Indian startups raised $5.2 billion across 501 deals in H1 2026, down 9% in value but up 7% in deal count year-on-year, per the Inc42 Indian Tech Startup Funding Report. The drop is driven by fewer mega-rounds, while AI funding surged 317% and growth-stage deal activity hit a multi-year high.
The BSE Sensex fell 893 points and the Nifty 50 shed 279 points on June 30, 2026, wiping out roughly Rs 6 lakh crore in investor wealth in a single session. Both indices dropped 1.16%, closing at 76,200.68 and 23,824.10 respectively.
Kotak Mahindra Bank shares fell nearly 3% to Rs 397.6 after CEO Ashok Vaswani announced plans to exit the bank. Investor concern now centres on succession timing and whether the bank's ongoing digital and deposit-growth strategy will stay on track.
South Korea's Kospi dropped 3% at Monday's open while Japan's Nikkei fell 1%, as escalating US-Iran conflict triggered a broad risk-off move across Asian markets. South Korea's heavy reliance on Middle East oil imports makes it especially vulnerable to geopolitical shocks of this kind.
