Ibex 35 Slips 0.14% Amid Tensions in Middle East and ECB Looming

The Ibex 35 closed Monday's session down 0.14% at 20,021.8 points due to market focus on geopolitical tensions rather than macroeconomic references.

This comes as Iran confirmed a US attack on three of its oil tankers and reported retaliation against six vessels, including three tankers and three more ships linked to the US.

The tension also led to a decline in Germany's industrial production, which dropped 1.1% in July compared to the previous month due to a decrease in automotive sector output.

Meanwhile, in Spain, the price of free housing rose by 12.2% in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, marking its lowest rate since the first quarter of last year.

The European Central Bank's meeting next Thursday is expected to be a major highlight for investors, with analysts predicting a quarter-point rate increase.