Business Costs Surging Amid Iran War, Says JPMorgan Strategist

Business activity in the euro area unexpectedly shrank for the first time since late 2024 due to a steep drop in the services sector as the Iran war weighs on consumers. The Composite PMI compiled by S&P Global declined to 48.6 in April from 50.7 the previous month, dropping below the 50 threshold separating growth from contraction. In the UK PMI data showed that the private sector quickly bounced back from a slowdown caused by the Iran war as firms rushing to secure supplies and price pressures...