European equity markets were poised to open slightly higher on Friday after a sharp sell-off in the previous session, as investors continued to reassess the outlook for AI-related investments. Global stocks faced heavy selling pressure on Thursday amid mounting doubts about the sustainability of large-scale AI spending, prompting a shift toward the relative safety of government bonds. Rising oil prices, driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East, also kept risk appetite in check.
In Europe, focus will be on UK retail sales data as well as preliminary manufacturing and services PMI readings from across the region. On the corporate front, Italian energy major Eni said it would increase shareholder returns as the conflict in the Middle East fueled higher energy prices, while Swedish automaker Volvo posted robust third-quarter earnings, supported by strengthening demand in North America and Europe. In premarket trade, futures on both the Euro Stoxx 50 and the Stoxx 600 were up about 0.1%.
