(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 7 apr - Shares in London closed lower as optimism over a truce in the conflict in Middle East faded.

US president Donald Trump said yesterday the US was ready to wipe out Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 pm (ET) today.

In a post today he threatened that 'a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will.' In the meantime, oil prices were once again higher after media reported that the US has hit targets on Kharg Island, which host Iran's largest oil shipment facility. Brent futures were trading above 111 dollars per barrel lifting shares of oil majors Shell and BP which gained 0.69% at 3,568.00 and 1.07% at 597.50 pence, respectively.

On the data front, the UK's purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the services sector fell to 50.5 in March from 53.9 the previous month and came in below a preliminary reading of 51.2, according to data released by S&P Global.

The composite output index, a weighted average of services PMI and manufacturing output, decreased to 50.3 from 53.7 the previous month and was also lower than the earlier preliminary reading of 51.0 amid a loss of growth momentum in the service economy and a renewed downturn from manufacturing.

The London FTSE 100 closed down 0.84% at 10,348.79 points.

(RADIOCOR) 07-04-26 18:13:22 (0548) 5 NNNN