European Shares Plunge Amid Rising Crude Prices and Middle East Tensions

European shares fell to their lowest level in four months on Monday, as the defense sector led a market decline fueled by rising crude prices. Investors are grappling with inflationary pressures amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 1.6% at 564.13 points early in the day, marking its third consecutive weekly loss. Industrials significantly weighed on the benchmark index, especially after Iran's threats to target Israeli power plants and facilities supporting U.S. bases in the Gulf, should the U.S. President act on his threats.

In the broader context, European stocks are underperforming against the U.S. S&P 500 due to the region's heavy oil import reliance via the Strait of Hormuz. The potential closure of this critical waterway has sparked concerns over inflation, prompting the European Central Bank to project at least two interest rate hikes of 25 basis points each this year, according to data.