European markets are expected to open higher Thursday as investors monitor earnings reports from a raft of major European companies.
The U.K.’s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 10 points higher at 8,696, Germany’s DAX up 49 points at 22,475, France’s CAC up 16 points at 8,118 and Italy’s FTSE MIB 32 points higher at 38,437, according to data from IG.
Earnings are due from Accor, Schneider Electric, Mercedes, Zurich Insurance, Lloyds Banking Group, Centrica, Airbus, Hays, Anglo American, Renault, Repsol, Leonardo and Aegon. There are no major data releases Thursday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on autos, chips and pharmaceutical imports, and the possibility that the Federal Reserve keeps interest rates higher for longer, are also a focus for global markets on Thursday.
Trump, who said the duties could be implemented as soon as April 2, did not specify whether they will be targeted at imports from certain countries or be broad-based.
Meanwhile, Fed officials in January agreed they would need to see inflation come down more before lowering interest rates further, according to meeting minutes released Wednesday. Asia-Pacific markets and S&P 500 futures were lower overnight.
