European equities edge up as Middle East tensions linger

London’s FTSE 100 was set to open modestly higher as investors balanced ongoing Middle East instability with pockets of resilience in global equity markets. Brent crude hovered around $95 a barrel, up about 4% on the week, reflecting concerns over potential supply disruptions. Technology shares slipped after Broadcom reported earnings below expectations, reviving worries about lofty AI‑related valuations.

In Switzerland, the SMI closed up 0.35%, gaining 46.96 points to 13,388.23. Alcon rose 2%, while Novartis and Swiss Re added roughly 1.8% each. Givaudan announced a deal to acquire a majority stake in fragrance house Eurofragance, and several other Swiss firms posted modest gains. The Swiss National Bank’s foreign‑exchange reserves fell to CHF 711 billion in May.

Both markets showed cautious optimism, with investors monitoring the geopolitical backdrop while navigating sector‑specific news such as the tech sell‑off and corporate acquisition activity.