PARIS (Reuters) – The main European stock markets are expected to increase at the opening on Friday, in the absence of new data and in a context of weaker liquidity than usual.
Futures contracts suggest an opening down 0.12% for the Parisian CAC 40, compared to an increase of 0.01% for the FTSE in London, 0.26% for the Dax in Frankfurt, and 0.47% for the EuroStoxx 50.
Political uncertainty is expected to continue to weigh on French assets in 2025.
European markets continue on their course in the absence of catalysts, after being closed for the last two days during the Christmas holidays.
Trading volumes will remain low over the next few sessions, with most operators absent, which could exacerbate certain market reactions.
The minutes of the Bank of Japan’s latest monetary policy meeting, published on Friday, also show that the central bank continues to position itself for future rate hikes, which supports the yen.
A WALL STREET
The New York Stock Exchange ended Thursday in disorganized order, at the end of a session without any real catalyst and without major movements the day after Christmas, while the rise in bond yields weighed on certain major technology stocks.
The Dow Jones index gained 0.07%, or 28.77 points, to 43,325.80 points.
The broader S&P-500 lost 2.45 points, or 0.04%, to 6,037.59 points.
The Nasdaq Composite fell 10.77 points (0.05%) to 20,020.36 points.
While the S&P-500 and the Nasdaq fell into the red, the Dow Jones recorded its fifth consecutive session in the green.
IN ASIA
The Tokyo Stock Exchange ended higher, supported by a weak yen which benefits exporters. The Nikkei index gained 1.8% to 40,281.16 points. The broader Topix gained 1.26% to 2,801.68 points.
Toyota rose 1.2%, with Japanese media revealing that the group plans to double its capital return target by 2030.
Data released Friday showed industrial profits fell less than expected in China in November, keeping Chinese stocks near a two-week high. The Hong Kong Hang Seng index declined by 0.09%, the Shanghai SSE Composite fell by 0.02%, the CSI 300 decreased by 0.22%.
RATE
Rates vary little in the absence of indicators.
The yield on the ten-year Treasury is stable at 4.5768%, while the yield on the two-year security is unchanged at 4.3283%.
CHANGES
The yen is strengthening against the dollar, with minutes of the Bank of Japan’s latest monetary policy meeting suggesting rates will continue to rise in Japan.
In Asia, the yen advanced 0.18% to 157.71 yen per dollar, the Australian dollar lost 0.16% to 0.621 dollars.
The dollar gained 0.04% against a basket of reference currencies, the euro eroded by 0.12% to $1.041, and the pound sterling lost 0.03% to $1.2521.
OIL
The barrel varies little, supported by more optimism about the state of the Chinese economy but under pressure from a strong dollar.
Brent fell 0.11% to $73.18 per barrel, American light crude (West Texas Intermediate, WTI) weakened 0.07% to $69.57.
(Written by Corentin Chappron, edited by Jean-Stéphane Brosse)
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