PARIS (Reuters) – The main European stock markets are expected to rise at the opening on Thursday, in a context of low volumes before the publication of weekly unemployment figures in the United States.
According to the first available indications, the Parisian CAC 40 is up 0.35% at the opening. Futures contracts on the FTSE in London suggest an opening advance of 0.34%, as for the Dax in Frankfurt, and 0.44% for the EuroStoxx 50.
The markets are optimistic in a context of low volatility, while the majority of operators are on vacation and investors close their positions before the end of the year.
In the absence of major indicators or interventions from monetary policy makers in recent days, markets continue to bet on an upcoming rate cut by the Federal Reserve in the United States, which would benefit risky assets.
The markets anticipate a first rate cut from the Fed in March, for a total easing of around 157 basis points next year.
Only new unemployment claims in the United States last week, expected at 1:30 p.m. GMT, could liven up the markets this Thursday.
Investors are betting on an increase in the number of new registrations to 210,000, compared to 205,000 the previous week.
VALUES TO FOLLOW:
A WALL STREET
The New York Stock Exchange ended slightly higher on Wednesday, the Dow Jones having established itself at a new closing record while the S&P-500 moved even closer to its own, at the end of a hesitant session, without major movements, in the absence of notable information capable of moving the market.
The Dow Jones index gained 0.30%, or 111.19 points, to 37,656.52 points. The broader S&P-500 gained 6.83 points, or 0.14%, to 4,781.58 points. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 24.60 points (0.16%) to 15,099.18 points.
IN ASIA
The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended lower on Thursday amid profit-taking and a strengthening of the yen against the dollar. The Nikkei index lost 0.42% to 33,539.62 points and the broader Topix lost 0.17% to 2,361.38 points.
The ocean freight sector fell 3.44%, the worst sector performance on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Chinese indices are progressing, supported by significant inflows. The Shanghai SSE Composite takes 1.39%, the CSI 300 2.29%, the Hong Kong Hang Seng index 2.62%.
RATE
American yields are hesitating in a wait-and-see environment.
The ten-year Treasury yield climbs 1.6 basis points to 3.8053%, after approaching a five-month low during the session, while the two-year rate advances 3.1 bp at 4.2726%.
CHANGES
The currency market is calm, with the dollar remaining near a five-month low.
The dollar fell 0.18% against a basket of reference currencies while the euro was stable at 1.1106 dollars, a peak since the beginning of August, and the pound sterling gained 0.09% to 1. 2806 dollars, a five-month high.
In Asia, the yen strengthened by 0.47% to 141.16 yen per dollar, while the Australian dollar was almost stable at 0.6845 dollars.
OIL
Oil is up slightly after declining on Wednesday, with several shipowners announcing they would resume transits through the Suez Canal.
Brent advanced 0.19% to $79.8 per barrel, as did light American crude (West Texas Intermediate, WTI) to $74.25.
(Written by Corentin Chappron, edited by Bertrand Boucey)
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