European markets are expected to open higher Thursday after being buoyed by a televised political debate which saw centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron maintain his lead on euroskeptic opponent Marine Le Pen ahead of this Sunday’s French election.
The FTSE 100 is seen 10 points higher at 7,244; the DAX is set to open 23 points up at 12,551; and the CAC 40 is also seen 7 points higher at 5,308.
Markets were reassured overnight after a snap Elabe poll suggested that Macron had emerged the victor with 63 points to Le Pen’s 34 after the pair clashed over their visions of France’s future, the euro and terrorism in a TV debate.
Meanwhile, U.S. markets were boosted after the Federal Reserve maintained interest rates and delivered a hawkish assessment of economic growth at the culmination of the central bank’s two-day policy meeting.
On the agenda Thursday will be a host of corporate earnings, including from banks Societe Generale and HSBC, as well as airline Air France and engineering company Siemens. Elsewhere, Norway’s central bank will be making a decision on its interest rate policy.
Source: CNBC
