Published May 23, 2026 Updated about 2 hours ago By Reuters FRANKFURT: European shares finished at their highest in over a month on Friday, led by technology stocks as risk sentiment got a lift on expectations that a deal to end the Middle East conflict could be near. The pan-European STOXX 600 ended 0.73 percent higher at 625.12 points and logged its biggest weekly gain in seven. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that there was some progress towards an agreement with Tehran but more work is required, the latest development in the US-Iran impasse that has ensued since Washington suspended bombing in a fragile ceasefire in early April. Key disagreements between Tehran and Washington involve Iran’s uranium stockpile and controls on the Strait of Hormuz. Reflecting the broader uncertainty, crude prices rose 1 percent to USD103 a barrel. Analysts expect a deal that includes opening the strategic waterway to lift European equities that have lagged peers, given the region’s dependence on oil imports that have become costly since the war. “We are neutral on Europe and euro zone equities, given their sensitivity to higher energy costs, while we view the more…