European Shares Strengthen Following Announcement of Strait of Hormuz Opening

LONDON, KOMPAS.com - European shares surged on Friday (18/4/2026) afternoon local time after Iran stated that the Strait of Hormuz was “fully open” for commercial traffic.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed up 1.6 per cent, with all major exchanges and most sectors ending the session in positive territory.

The travel and recreation sector led the gains, closing the day with an increase of around 4.7 per cent.

According to CNBC, individual airline shares jumped, including easyJet.

Shares in International Consolidated Airlines Group, listed on the London Stock Exchange, or TUI which oversees British Airways, Vueling, and Aer Lingus, rose 6.2 per cent.

Major European tourism and travel company shares listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange rose more than 5.4 per cent at the close of trading.

German airline Lufthansa shares closed up 5.6 per cent, erasing morning losses.

However, on Thursday, the company had warned of an imminent halt to operations of dozens of aircraft and a reduction in flight capacity amid rising fuel prices.

On the other hand, oil and gas sector shares were a notable exception.

This sector closed down 4.2 per cent after news of the breakthrough caused oil prices to reverse direction.

In London, BP shares plunged 7.4 per cent and Shell shares fell 5.6 per cent.

Then, the large Norwegian energy company Vår Energi also ended the trading session with a 6.2 per cent decline.

For the record, Brent crude oil prices, the global oil benchmark, fell 10.6 per cent to $88.85 per barrel.

Meanwhile, in the US, the benchmark West Texas Intermediate oil price dropped 12 per cent to $82.88 per barrel.