European equities opened lower Monday after military confrontations involving U.S. and Iranian forces near the Strait of Hormuz pushed Brent crude above $90 a barrel. The STOXX 600 hovered near recent multi-week lows, while Germany’s DAX fell 0.3% and Switzerland’s main equity index dropped 1.2%. Novartis weighed on Swiss stocks, falling more than 3% after disappointing results from a clinical trial of an experimental cholesterol treatment. Brent rose more than $1 after a nearly 10% gain the previous week, following U.S. military operations that disabled three Iranian oil vessels. Tehran said it planned to establish a restricted military zone beyond Hormuz in the coming days, raising concerns about a route carrying about 20% of the world’s seaborne oil and natural gas. The ECB (European Central Bank) is widely expected to raise its benchmark rate by 25 basis points on Thursday after Eurozone inflation accelerated to 3.3% in August, including a 14.3% increase in energy costs. Deutsche Bank forecasts another quarter-point increase in December, while markets price at least one additional hike in 2027. Investors will next focus on U.S. Consumer Price Index data, which could influence expectations for the Federal Reserve’s September 15-16 policy meeting.