European equity markets were set to open slightly lower on Tuesday, as investors weighed the impact of rising oil prices, which are keeping inflation risks and interest rate expectations in the spotlight. Market participants were also positioning ahead of this week’s European Central Bank meeting, where policymakers are widely expected to deliver a 25-basis-point rate hike.
At the same time, political developments in Germany remained under close scrutiny after the far-right AfD party secured victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Investors will also parse upcoming German and French trade figures for fresh indications of the region’s economic momentum.
On the corporate front, Renault is preparing to launch sales of its updated electric Dacia Spring, while Jaguar Land Rover plans to shed around 4,000 jobs in response to US tariff headwinds, a recent cyberattack, and intensifying competitive pressures. In premarket action, futures on both the Euro Stoxx 50 and the Stoxx 600 were down roughly 0.2%.
