European equity markets were poised to open lower on Friday, as renewed inflation concerns bolstered expectations that major central banks may be forced to raise interest rates. ECB Governing Council member Martins Kazaks warned on Thursday that the central bank could be compelled to tighten policy if higher oil prices begin to feed into inflation expectations.
In the US, accelerating inflation has similarly strengthened market bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike later this year. The latest surge in price pressures has been driven largely by elevated energy costs, following stalled US–Iran negotiations and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted global oil supplies.
Investors will also be watching the final Italian inflation data for April, although the corporate calendar is relatively quiet, with no major earnings releases scheduled. In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 futures were down 1.5%, while Stoxx 600 futures fell 1.4%.
