PARIS (Reuters) – European scholarships ended up on Monday supported by the defense sector with the hopes of peace in Ukraine.

In Paris, the CAC 40 increased by 0.23% to 8,197.09 points, while the German Dax rose 1.26% and the British footsia has increased by 0.32%.

The Eurostoxx 50 index finished the session on an increase of 0.53%, while the FTSEUROFIRST 300 scored a gain of 0.58%and that the Stoxx 600 took 0.59%.

Hopes of peace in Ukraine and geopolitical uncertainties concentrate attentions at the start of the week, while Wall Street is closed for the commemoration of the birth of Georges Washington and that the exchange volumes were limited in Europe, absence of major business indicator or result on the menu.

European leaders said for the first time ready to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine on Monday, a few hours after an emergency meeting in Paris, following American remarks at the end of last week suggesting that Europe could be excluded from peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

The geopolitical but also economic and financial issues are major for the old continent, especially on the consequences of a cease-fire on moribund economies.

Voices also amount to concern about developments in taking into account defense expenses, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, having for example indicated that they want to soften the budgetary rules of the European Union by not Plus in defense expenses in the calculation of the public deficit of member states.

All the ingredients are gathered to support the defense sector which pulled European scholarships on Monday taking 4.43%.

VALUES

Defense values ​​are pulling out of the game in this context of geopolitical uncertainty.

The Germans Rheinmetall, Hensoldt and Renk took for example between 14.08% and 17.52% and the French Thales and Dassault Aviation 7.5% and 6.9%.

The Swedish SAAB 16.09% and the Italian Leonardo 7.42%, according to the first data available.

Changes

The currencies are rather stable in the absence of a major indicator.

The dollar earns 0.05% against a basket of reference currencies, the euro erodes from 0.1% to 1.048 dollars, and the Sterling book firmed from 0.17% to 1.2607 dollars.

RATE

The yields of state obligations in the euro zone remained stable Monday against the backdrop of evolution of peace negotiations in Ukraine.

The yield of the German Bund at ten years emerging at 2.488% and that of the two years to 2.136%.

OIL

Oil prices remained generally stable on Monday, investors monitoring the evolution of a possible peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine which could lighten the sanctions that have disrupted flows.

Brent increased by 0.28% to $ 74.95 a barrel, the American light crude (West Texas Intermediate, WTI) increases from 0.4% to $ 71.02.

To follow Tuesday February 18:

(Written by Bertrand de Meyer, edited by Augustin Turpin)

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