The lifting of sanctions against Iran along with a dive in the price of crude oil have helped create a decline in both European and Asian stocks. Crude oil is at a 12-year low and European shares have fallen to their lowest in more than a year. 

   There’s some concern that European banks may be faced with toxic assets. Ahead of the monthly oil-market report, oil and natural gas prices are weaker. Following the first downgrade ever of the Polish sovereign, there was a fall in Polish bonds. In contrast, the Chinese yuan jumped and Shanghai shares advanced. China is making strenuous efforts to improve foreign speculation against its currency.
 
   On Friday, The Stoxx Europe 600 Index closed more than 20% below the record low drop in April due to the decline in oil, combined with China’s slowing production rate.
 
   The already oil-glutted market will be hit with 500,000 more barrels of oil per day as Iran’s sanctions are lifted and Iranian oil exports increase. The 21% decline in the price of oil is not likely to see an immediate uptick at this rate.
 
   Guillermo Hernandez Sampere, head of trading at MPPM EK in Eppstein, Germany said, “Volatility indexes are on levels which are far away from calm waters. We are still in risk-off mode, so don’t expect a ‘V-shaped’ correction to the upside. As a value investor, we see this as a buying opportunity for the mid or long term.”
 
   Brent crude futures dropped 1.2 percent to $28.59 a barrel. The Bank of America Merrill Lynch Market Risk Index, the worldwide market volatility tracker, was at its highest since Oct. 1 on Friday.
 
   Equities 
 
   There was a rise in sixteen of the Stoxx 600’s 19 industry groups. While oil and gas companies took the lead, Italian banks had a 1.1 percent decline.
 
   As Iran made the decision to buy 114 of their aircraft for Iran Air, Airbus Group SE climbed 0.8 percent. Technology shares were up by 4.5 percent, led by Ericsson AB.
 
   After recording the lowest level on Friday, since August, Standard & Poor’s 500 Index climbed 0.5 percent.
 
   Commodities
 
   Futures dropped to the lowest since November 2003. As Iran’s sanctions lifted, Brent Oil declined below $28, setting the stage internationally for further rising exports from OPEC.
 
    U.K. natural gas saw lower prices, dropping to a record low. This summer the price of fuel went down 2.2 %. It is expected that, within nine months, the decline in crude oil prices will bring down the cost of approximately half of Europe’s long-term contracts connected to the oil industry.
 
    Gold is on the rise, climbing steadily. Bullion rose 0.2% to $1,090.55 per ounce, as seen by Bloomberg’s pricing index.
With the expectation that China will soon see an increase in production, most base metals in London are seeing an uptick, with nickel leading the way. Stainless steel is up 2.6 % to $8,615 per metric ton.