European Stocks Poised to Open Higher
European equity markets were set to open slightly higher on Friday following a sharp decline in the previous session, as investors continued to evaluate the outlook for AI investments. Global equities came under heavy selling pressure on Thursday amid growing concerns over the sustainability of massive AI spending, prompting investors to seek the relative safety of bonds. Rising oil prices, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, also kept market sentiment cautious. In Europe, attention will turn to UK retail sales figures and preliminary manufacturing and services activity data from across the region. On the corporate front, Italian energy giant Eni announced plans to increase shareholder returns as the conflict in the Middle East pushed energy prices higher, while Swedish automaker Volvo reported solid third-quarter earnings, supported by improving demand in North America and Europe. In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures both gained around 0.1%.
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European equity markets were set to open slightly higher on Friday following a sharp decline in the previous session, as investors continued to evaluate the outlook for AI investments. Global equities came under heavy selling pressure on Thursday amid growing concerns over the sustainability of massive AI spending, prompting investors to seek the relative safety of bonds. Rising oil prices, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, also kept market sentiment cautious. In Europe, attention will turn to UK retail sales figures and preliminary manufacturing and services activity data from across the region.
On the corporate front, Italian energy giant Eni announced plans to increase shareholder returns as the conflict in the Middle East pushed energy prices higher, while Swedish automaker Volvo reported solid third-quarter earnings, supported by improving demand in North America and Europe. In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures both gained around 0.1%.