European shares ended a choppy session ‌little changed on Wednesday, as investors weighed a renewed flare-up in tensions between the US and Iran and looked ahead to the European Central ​Bank’s (ECB) upcoming monetary policy decision.Crude oil prices were higher and hovered near $93 (€80.50) a barrel after one of the biggest exchanges in hostilities between the US and Iran since the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in April.US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday Iran had taken too long ​to negotiate a deal and would now “have to pay the price,” while Tehran said it would reassess diplomatic engagement with Washington.DublinThe Iseq All-Share index fell 0.7 per cent to 12,996.36. Ryanair fell 0.9 per cent to €23.75 as oil prices rose again. Fellow travel-related stock Irish Continental Group (ICG) lost almost 1 per cent to €6.20. Banks were little changed as sector followers weighed an expected move by the ECB on Thursday to raise interest rates – which is ordinarily positive for industry earnings – against a decline by UK peers. Bank of Ireland edged 0.1 per cent higher, while AIB crept up 0.04 per cent. LondonThe FTSE 100 closed 0.3 pe cent ‌higher on Wednesday with energy and consumer staples stocks providing a lift, though the ‌index remained stuck near three-week lows as investors monitored a fragile ceasefire in the Middle ​East.Of Irish interest, Dublin-based but London-listed DCC rose 1.8 per cent to £61.10 after its board said it was “minded to” recommend and improved takeover proposal for the former conglomerate from US private equity groups Energy Capital Partners and KKR. The have informally tabled £65.72 per share, including a dividend of £1.47 that has already been proposed for shareholders. WH Smith plunged 16.2 per cent after cutting ‌its annual profit forecast for the ​second time in two months and launched an equity raise to ⁠bolster its finances.Elsewhere, water utility Pennon Group slipped 1.7 per cent after its new chief executive ‌warned operational discipline must improve.EuropeIn Europe, mining and industrial sectors led the losses, falling over 1 per cent each.The tech sector slipped 0.7 per cent, extending its slide since Friday to 3 per cent and trimming its nearly 30 per cent rally over the last ‌two monthsNorway’s Kongsberg swung sharply, falling 5 per cent ​after rising as much as 3.3 per cent earlier in the day, as margin guidance from the Norwegian defence and technology company disappointed investors.New YorkWall ‌Street’s major indexes were lower in early afternoon trading, as technology stocks remained under pressure and renewed tensions between the US and Iran overshadowed a tame inflation reading.Volatility has picked up ​across stock markets in recent days, as investors contend with a widening array of risks, including high valuations in the tech sector, escalating Middle East tensions and expectations that the US Federal Reserve may need to hike interest rates to curb inflation.US consumer prices increased 4.2 per cent in the 12 months through May, the largest gain since April 2023, data showed, as the Middle East conflict raised the price of gasoline and ⁠other energy products.Technology and AI stocks have borne the brunt of the sell-off as investors priced in a tighter monetary policy and ‌worried about stretched valuations in the sector.Nvidia, Micron and Broadcom ​fell, extending losses after a brief rebound on Monday. Super Micro Computer ⁠tumbled after announcing plans to raise $7 billion (€6.1 billion) through a ⁠series of equity and equity-linked financing ​transactions to fund component purchases for its growing AI server demand.The rotation out of highly subscribed technology shares has aided other areas of the markets that have lagged this year, including healthcare, real estate and consumer staples.The much-hyped $1.75 trillion listing of SpaceX on Friday, targeting a record $75 billion raise, could also pressure US stocks as concerns mount over excessive optimism in the tech sector. – Additional reporting, Reuters