Major European stock markets were firm at the start of trading on Friday, with all eyes on key US jobs data to be released ahead of the weekend.
London’s FTSE 100 index fell 0.1% to 7,683.77 points.
In the euro area, the Paris CAC40 index opened flat at 8,017.19 points, while Frankfurt’s DAX index fell 0.1% to 17,824.00.
both…
Major European stock markets were firm at the start of trading on Friday, with all eyes on key US jobs data to be released ahead of the weekend.
London’s FTSE 100 index fell 0.1% to 7,683.77 points.
In the euro area, the Paris CAC40 index opened flat at 8,017.19 points, while Frankfurt’s DAX index fell 0.1% to 17,824.00.
Both indexes in the single currency bloc closed at record highs on Thursday, before hitting new all-time highs on Wall Street, as strong corporate earnings and slowing inflation boosted sentiment.
Analysts were keeping an eye on Friday’s release of U.S. nonfarm payrolls that could have a big impact on the market.
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Traders are watching to see if this will change the direction of a potential rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said this week that while the fight against inflation continues, the economy remains resilient and that monetary policy could soon become more dovish. Expectations are high that the first interest rate cut will be made in June.
European Central Bank President Lagarde on Thursday signaled a cut in euro zone interest rates starting in June.
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