Doha: European stock indices fell Wednesday as investors assessed the economic repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East and US inflation data. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed down 0.6 percent, with most European stock exchanges declining.

According to Qatar News Agency, the German index recorded the largest drop, falling 1.4 percent, impacted by an 8 percent decline in Rheinmetall shares after the defense company's 2026 profit margin and free cash flow forecasts fell short of some analysts' expectations. This decline also led to a 1.8 percent drop in the defense sector, while the industrial sector fell 1.2 percent.