A Futures-options trader works on the floor at the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 17, 2025.
Brendan McDermid | Reuters
LONDON — European stocks are expected to open slightly lower on Thursday as investors prepare for earnings reports that could provide clues on business activity and confidence in the region.
The U.K.’s FTSE index, Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 are all seen opening around the flatline, while Italy’s FTSE MIB is seen opening 0.17% lower, according to data from IG.
It’s a busy day for earnings in Europe with Kering, Roche Holding, Unilever, Vinci, Thales, LSEG, Dassault Systemes, Antofagasta, Swedbank, Nokia and Lloyds Banking Group among the big names reporting third quarter figures today.
Oil prices are in focus Thursday after they jumped around 3% in the previous session when the Trump administration imposed further sanctions on Russia’s two largest crude companies, Rosneft and Lukoil.
The administration cited Moscow’s “lack of serious commitment to a peace process to end the war in Ukraine.”
Overnight, broader Asia-Pacific markets mostly fell, tracking Wall Street’s declines on Wednesday on concerns about U.S.-China trade relations.
Trade fears resurfaced after Reuters reported that the Trump administration is considering curbs on exports to China that are made with U.S. software, citing a U.S. official and three people briefed by U.S. authorities.
The sources said the plan, which could cover a wide range of items from laptops to jet engines, might not move forward, however, and that it’s not the only option that’s being discussed.
U.S. stock futures edged lower overnight as investors digested quarterly earnings releases that came out after the market close, including from Tesla, IBM, Moderna and Lam Research.
Tesla, which kicked off reports from the “Magnificent Seven” megacap tech group, saw shares dip 3% on the back of mixed third-quarter results. IBM shed about 6% after the tech company beat Wall Street estimates but reported in-line software revenue.
Investors are watching earnings releases carefully amid concerns they could be make-or-break for the current bull market rally.
Data releases in Europe on Thursday include French business confidence and Spanish trade figures.
— CNBC’s Pia Singh and Nur Hikmah Md Ali contributed to this market report.
