Investing.com -- European equity indices opened higher on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said the previous day that he is willing to delay the 50% tariffs on the European Union he threatened last week.
As of 07:35 GMT, the DAX index in Germany gained 1.4%, while the CAC 40 in France was about 1% higher.
Both U.K. and U.S. markets are shut on Monday due to public holidays.
Trump Delays 50% EU Tariff
Trump announced on Friday his proposal to implement a 50% tariff on EU imports starting June 1, citing ongoing frustrations with trade negotiations.
Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said the EU was “very difficult to deal with,” and said negotiations were “going nowhere.”
However, by Sunday, Trump indicated a shift in stance, stating that he had agreed to postpone the tariffs until July 9 after a conversation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Von der Leyen, in a post on X, expressed optimism, stating that the EU is prepared to move forward with negotiations “swiftly and decisively.”
Oil prices higher as Trump delays EU tariffs
Crude oil prices ticked up on Monday after Trump announced a delay to his planned tariffs on EU imports.
However, gains were limited as oversupply worries persisted amid reports that the oil-procuring cartel, OPEC+, might hike production again in July.
As of 03:28 ET, Brent Oil Futures rose 0.06% to $64.3 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 0.08% to $61.61 per barrel.
German automakers rally as Trump delays EU tariff
German automaker stocks rallied on Monday after Trump announced a delay to his proposed 50% tariffs on EU imports.
Shares of Mercedes Benz Group AG (ETR: MBGn ) climbed over 1.7%, Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (ETR: BMWG ) also gained more than 1.3%, while Volkswagen AG (ETR: VOWG ) rose around 1.7%.
EVN AG posts strong H1 results
Shares in Austrian utility and environmental services company EVN AG (VIE: EVNV ) rose over 3% on Monday after reporting strong performance for the first half of the 2024/25 fiscal year, supported by increased energy consumption and a well-diversified business portfolio.
EVN maintained its full-year forecast, projecting a group net profit in the range of €400 million to €440 million for the 2024/25 fiscal period.
The firm also confirmed its commitment to a dividend payout of no less than €0.82 per share moving forward.
Citi raises short-term gold target
Citi has raised its near-term gold price target to $3,500 per ounce, driven by escalating tariffs and heightened geopolitical tensions.
In a note released Sunday, the bank now expects gold to trade within a range of $3,100 to $3,500, up from its earlier forecast of $3,000 to $3,300.
However, Citi remains cautious about gold’s long-term outlook, pointing to potential shifts in growth and equity risks ahead of the U.S. midterm elections and Federal Reserve rate cuts.
The bank also notes that household gold holdings are at a 50-year high, while its short-term targets for platinum and palladium stay steady at $1,050 and $900 per ounce, respectively.