On Monday, the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 indices experienced minimal movement, as traders began their week with caution, awaiting comments from several Federal Reserve officials that could potentially influence monetary policy for the remainder of the year. Investors also considered the implications of President Trump's newly proposed visa regulations, which suggest a $100,000 application fee for the highly utilized H-1B program. This change would significantly increase expenses for companies, especially those in the technology sector that depend heavily on skilled foreign workers.
In the corporate sector, telecommunications firms, automotive manufacturers, and banks faced notable declines. Volkswagen's shares dropped approximately 4.3%, and Porsche's shares fell by 4.7% following Volkswagen's downward revision of its full-year profit forecast and Porsche's announcement of a delay in the release of its electric vehicle models. Concurrently, BBVA's stock decreased by 2%, and Sabadell's fell by 4.1%, after a French bank increased its acquisition offer for the Spanish institution.
