FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The recovery in European chemical stocks regained momentum on Tuesday. During the initial weeks of the Iran war through mid-March, the Stoxx Europe 600 Chemicals index had slumped by over 11 percent to its lowest level since autumn 2022. Since then, however, it has almost entirely recouped its war-related losses. Individual stocks such as Wacker Chemie, BASF, and Brenntag have even reached new year-to-date highs or are on the verge of doing so.
Analysts initially see several tailwinds for chemical stocks resulting from the conflict: easing competitive pressure, a reduction in oversupply, and rising prices. However, lower demand remains a risk factor, the extent of which depends particularly on the duration of the Iran war./ag/bek/jha/
