European markets opened slightly above the flatline on Thursday, with investors adopting a cautious stance ahead of a packed day of central bank announcements across the region. Early trade showed mixed performance among major bourses, reflecting uncertainty as policymakers prepare to signal how interest rates could move into the new year.
The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 edged marginally higher, while national indexes including France’s CAC 40, Germany’s DAX and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 hovered close to unchanged. Traders are closely watching decisions from the European Central Bank, Bank of England, Sweden’s Riksbank and Norway’s Norges Bank, all of which are concluding monetary policy meetings today. Only one rate change is widely expected, keeping markets on edge.
Corporate developments also drew attention, particularly at BP, after the energy giant announced the appointment of Meg O’Neill as its next chief executive. O’Neill will take over on April 1, following the departure of Murray Auchincloss, with Carol Howle stepping in as interim CEO. The move marks BP’s fourth leadership change in six years, adding another layer of uncertainty for investors tracking the stock.
Overnight in the United States, futures tied to the S&P 500 traded near flat as investors awaited key inflation data for November. The report is expected to show headline inflation running at an annual pace of around 3.1%, and it represents the first major inflation release since the recent U.S. government shutdown ended.
Global sentiment was further pressured by a tech-led selloff on Wall Street, sparked by concerns over high capital spending in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Shares of Oracle slid sharply after reports that a major investor pulled out of funding a data center project, dragging down other chip and AI-linked names such as Broadcom, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices. The weakness spilled into Asia-Pacific markets overnight, setting a subdued tone for Europe’s trading session.
source: cnbc