European stock markets ended March in negative territory, marking their first monthly decline this year, as investors braced for the unveiling of Trump’s reciprocal tariffs alongside 25% import levies on automobiles. On the final trading day of March, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index dropped 1.51%, the DAX declined 1.33%, and the CAC 40 slid 1.58%. Over the month, the three major benchmarks lost 3.8%, 2.38%, and 4.09%, respectively.
Despite the setback, European equities have outperformed their US counterparts this year. Wall Street recorded its sharpest monthly decline since December 2022, as concerns mounted over the potential economic fallout from the widening scope of tariffs.
