Global Economy
European Shares Poised for Strong Opening as Major Earnings Loom
European equity markets were set to start Thursday on a positive note, driven by upcoming earnings from luxury and industrial giants such as Hermès, Siemens, Unilever, AB InBev and Mercedes‑Benz. Investors will also focus on the UK’s Q4 GDP numbers and await Friday’s US inflation data, while recent US jobs figures have softened expectations of an imminent Fed rate cut.
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European markets set for a strong start
European equity indices were poised to open higher on Thursday as investors geared up for a string of high‑profile earnings reports from luxury and industrial leaders.
- Hermès (Euronext:RMS)
- Siemens (XETRA:SIE)
- Unilever (LSE:ULVR)
- AB InBev (EBR:ABI)
- Mercedes‑Benz (XETRA:MBG)
Despite a challenging fourth quarter for many firms, the profit outlook in Europe remains resilient, and all major indexes have stayed positive year‑to‑date.
On the macro front, market participants will keep a close eye on the United Kingdom’s Q4 GDP numbers, which are forecast to show 1.2 % annual growth and a modest 0.2 % quarterly increase.
Better‑than‑expected U.S. employment data has lowered the probability of an imminent Federal Reserve rate cut, adding a note of caution to global markets.
Investors now await Friday’s U.S. inflation figures for clearer guidance on the future path of monetary policy.
Ahead of the opening bell, Euro Stoxx 50 futures were up about 0.7 % while Stoxx 600 futures gained roughly 0.5 %.