TEHRAN- European shares opened lower on Tuesday as the ongoing Israeli war on Iran entered its fifth consecutive day, deepening investor anxiety and prompting a shift toward safer assets, Al Mayadeen repored.The mounting instability in the Middle East has added a new layer of volatility to already sensitive global markets.

By 0710 GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 index had dropped 0.8% to 542.38 points, reversing Monday’s brief rebound that followed five straight sessions of losses.

The conflict has stirred global commodity markets, particularly oil. Crude prices initially ticked higher following the heightened tensions but later pulled back. Despite the overall decline across European equities, energy shares edged up by 0.3%, outperforming the broader index as investors braced for potential supply disruptions.

Gas prices increaseEuropean natural gas prices moved higher as traders braced for a potential escalation in the war and risks for global energy supplies.

Benchmark futures rose as much as 1.8% following choppy trading in the previous session, Bloomberg reported.