European markets were set to open higher on Friday, aiming to recoup some losses from the previous session as risk sentiment showed signs of improvement. However, potential gains are likely to be constrained following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of new tariffs on furniture, heavy trucks, and pharmaceutical imports. Additionally, stronger-than-anticipated US economic data has tempered expectations for more significant Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Investors are also expected to closely examine important regional data releases, including the GDP figures from Spain, employment statistics from France, and confidence indices from Italy, which focus on both business and consumer perspectives. In premarket activity, futures for the Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 increased by approximately 0.3%.