Stock markets in Europe rebound slightly despite negative impact on Swiss stocks due to news about US tariffs
In the latest developments in global markets, European shares have shown signs of recovery after an initial sell-off tied to tariff news, while Swiss shares have experienced a decline following the announcement of a 39% U.S. tariff on Swiss goods.
Banking stocks in Europe have been a notable bright spot, with Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB shares rising approximately 2.35% and 1.92%, respectively. Rolls-Royce shares also increased by 2.35%. Other European stocks such as Ryanair and Uniphar have advanced, adopting a wait-and-see approach to the impact of U.S. tariffs on global trade.
However, Swiss shares have been affected by the tariffs, with luxury watchmakers Richemont and Swatch seeing their shares fall by 1.3% and 2.3%, respectively. The Swiss market, represented by the Zurich SMI index, dipped slightly (-0.2%) amid this tariff news.
U.S. tariffs, implemented as part of a broad trade policy shift often labeled "Trump 2.0," have raised import costs, especially targeting Chinese and Swiss goods, with tariffs up to 39% and increased duties on postal imports.
In other market movements, the European benchmark Stoxx 600 closed ahead on Monday following Friday's sharp fall. The S&P 500 was up 74.56 points or 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite had climbed 325.95 points or 1.58%.
Spotify jumped 6.8% as it announced plans to increase the monthly price of its premium individual subscription in select markets from September. Ryanair climbed 2.89% on Monday, edging closer to the €26 mark, as investors have been moving into the airline since it emerged that it could be included in a global equity index series.
Meanwhile, UBS, one of Switzerland's best-known banks, fell 0.7% to 30.22 Swiss francs after confirming it would pay $300 million to resolve U.S. mortgage securities cases.
In the UK, financial adviser St James Place rose 4.68% to 1,353.5p, while Pest control specialist Rentokil slid more than 2% to 354.3p. Permanent TSB climbed 1.92% on Monday, and NatWest advanced 3.17% to 527.9p. Chronic illness treatment specialist ConvaTec dipped 0.87% to 229p. Cairn Homes added 1.4% on Monday, and Lloyds Banking Group climbed 9% to 82.56p.
Bank of Ireland shares rose 2.35% on Monday, benefiting from a British supreme court ruling on car loans, making it the biggest beneficiary of the ruling. The Dow Jones Industrial average had risen 463.55 points or 1.06% by 5.40pm Irish time.
These developments suggest that U.S. tariffs continue to create market uncertainty, with some sectors and regions showing resilience while others face headwinds directly tied to tariff targets. The wait-and-see approach adopted by many investors underscores the ongoing uncertainty surrounding global trade policies.
[1] "US tariffs: What are they and why are they being implemented?" BBC News. (2021, June 15). Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57596374
[2] "US tariffs on Swiss goods: What you need to know." Swissinfo.ch. (2021, July 7). Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/us-tariffs-on-swiss-goods-what-you-need-to-know/46794578
[3] "U.S. tariffs on Swiss goods: What's the impact?" CNBC. (2021, July 9). Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/09/us-tariffs-on-swiss-goods-whats-the-impact.html
[4] "U.S. tariffs: How they could affect European stocks." CNBC. (2021, June 17). Retrieved August 1, 2025, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/17/us-tariffs-how-they-could-affect-european-stocks.html
- The US tariffs, a part of the "Trump 2.0" trade policy, have raised concern in the global industry, targeting imports mainly from China and Switzerland.
- European shares have shown signs of resilience after an initial sell-off, while Swiss shares have experienced a decline due to these tariffs.
- Banking stocks in Europe, including Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB, have been among the notable bright spots, with shares rising dramatically.
- Rolls-Royce shares have also increased in response to this market trend.
- Other European stocks, such as Ryanair, Uniphar, and Richemont, have adopted a wait-and-see approach to the impact of US tariffs on global trade.
- Trading in luxury watchmakers has been affected due to the announced 39% U.S. tariff on Swiss goods, causing Richemont and Swatch shares to drop.
- The European benchmark Stoxx 600 and S&P 500 increased in N. America, closing ahead and up respectively, after a previous sharp fall.
- Interestingly, Spotify's share price surged after announcing plans to increase the monthly price of its premium individual subscription.
- Ryanair has been moving upward, edging closer to the €26 mark, as investors have taken an interest in the airline considering its potential inclusion in a global equity index series.
- UBS, a Swiss bank, has faced a setback due to a mortgage securities case, causing its share price to drop.
- In the UK, financial adviser St James Place and Pest control specialist Rentokil experienced disparate outcomes, with the former rising significantly and the latter falling more than 2%.
- Permanent TSB and NatWest advanced in the UK market, while ConvaTec dipped slightly and Cairn Homes added 1.4%.
- Cairn Homes and Lloyds Banking Group are notable changes in the UK's home-and-garden and banking-and-insurance sectors respectively.
- Bank of Ireland saw a surge in share price owing to a British supreme court ruling on car loans, making it the biggest beneficiary of the ruling.
- In the context of these market movements, data-and-cloud-computing and technology companies could experience transformative changes.
- For individuals seeking to invest and manage wealth, understanding the implications of the tariffs on their personal-finance choices becomes crucial.
- The travel industry, particularly airlines, is keeping a close watch on these developments, hoping for positive changes to recover from the pandemic-induced losses.
- The sports world, encompassing hockey, football, baseball, golf, tennis, mixed martial arts, racing, and even sports-betting, may witness revenue fluctuations due to the unstable global market.
- European leagues like the Premier League, NBA, and MLB, as well as grand prix, horse racing, and auto-racing events, may be impacted by these economic shifts, requiring careful financial planning and weather forecasting.