This is CNBC’s live blog covering European financial markets.
Greetings from London
Good morning. Here in the capital, we find ourselves on the brink of the week’s final trading session. European stocks seem poised to dip, as global investors eagerly await pivotal data regarding the U.S. economy.
FTSE 100 futures show a slight decline of 0.1%. Meanwhile, French CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX futures have dropped by 0.4% and 0.1%, respectively.
ECB Moves and Thursday’s European Markets
On Thursday, regional stocks ended positively following the European Central Bank’s decision to lower interest rates. This move was widely anticipated by market observers.
The Bigger Picture: U.S. Data and Global Tensions
The spotlight is also on the U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, to be published later today. Economists are predicting a dip in employment figures compared to the preceding month. Do follow this link for more insights.
Trade tensions remain a key focus. On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump held a 90-minute conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump described the call as “very good,” focusing primarily on trade matters.
Markets Beyond Europe
Across Asia, stock markets traded in varied territory as investors processed the news of the Trump-Xi dialogue.
Over in the United States, Wall Street’s futures are looking up as anticipation builds for May’s nonfarm payrolls report.
May this Friday find you well, as it unfolds across the global markets.
— Chloe Taylor
