European stock markets expected to open higher
Istanbul, February 20 (Hibya) - European equity markets are expected to open higher on Friday, recovering the previous session’s losses as investors eased concerns over the escalation of US-Iran tensions.
US President Donald Trump said that Iran has no more than 15 days to reach an agreement on its nuclear program, otherwise it will have to face the consequences.
In Europe, market participants are awaiting UK retail sales and German producer price data, as well as PMI figures across the region, to determine a new direction.
On the corporate side, earnings reports from major European companies such as Air Liquide, Danone and Anglo American will be released. In pre-market trading, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures rose by around 0.4 percent.
European markets declined on Thursday as investors assessed earnings from companies such as Airbus, Renault and Nestle. The regional Stoxx 600 index closed the session down 0.6 percent, and the region’s leading exchanges ended the day in negative territory. Thursday was a busy day with European companies including Nestle, Rio Tinto, Zurich Insurance and Renault reporting their earnings.
Airbus shares fell by about 7 percent on Thursday after the company announced it expects to deliver 870 commercial aircraft in 2026. This figure is slightly below analysts’ expectations of 880. The development came as pressure increased on the European aircraft manufacturer, while its US rival Boeing signaled signs of recovery after years of crisis.
British News Agency
