FX.co ★ European Shares Set for Higher Open

European equity markets were poised for a positive opening on Thursday, amidst a flurry of corporate earnings announcements and key decisions from central banks. Investors anticipate reports from major companies including Maersk, Siemens Energy, Henkel, Infineon, Puma, Norwegian Air, and Zurich Insurance. In the realm of monetary policy, decisions are awaited from the Riksbank, Norges Bank, and particularly the Bank of England, which is broadly forecasted to cut interest rates. Meanwhile, market participants are still processing the Federal Reserve's decision to maintain current interest rates, accompanied by Chair Powell's cautionary note about the potential for prolonged tariff increases to hinder economic growth and escalate inflation over an extended period. Additionally, US-China trade relations remain under scrutiny following President Trump's declaration that the US will maintain its 145% tariffs on China as the countries prepare for a forthcoming meeting. In pre-market trading, futures for the Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 indices each advanced approximately 0.8%.