The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,463.69 up with +0.69% percent or +37.28 point . The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 7,621.50  up with +0.38% percent or +28.50 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 12,739.00 up with +1.51% percent or +189.00 point . The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures is trading at 3,487.00 up with +0.84% percent or +29.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

Asian shares inched up n Thursday as the United States and Europe agreed to negotiations to ease barriers on trade, but weakness in China markets underscored persistent worries about the outlook for global growth.

European markets looked set to open higher after U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had agreed to work to lower industrial tariffs on both sides.

Financial spreadbetters expect Britain’s FTSE to open 0.1 percent higher, Germany’s DAX to climb 0.7 percent and France’s CAC to gain 0.4 percent.

Juncker also called Trump’s agreement to hold off on car tariffs as the two sides launch negotiations to cut other trade barriers a “major concession.”

At the same time, Trump said Europe has agreed to increase purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas and lower trade barriers to American soybeans.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day France’s CAC 40 closed at 5,465.64 up with +0.72% percent or +39.23point. the FTSE 100 closed at 7,672.04 up  with +0.18% percent or +13.78 point.  Germany’s DAX closed at 12,735.40 up with +1.24%percent or +156.07 point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 25,414.10 up with +0.68% percent or +172.16 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,846.07 up with +0.91% percent or +25.67 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,932.24 up with +1.17% percent or +91.47 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 22,586.87 with a loss of  -0.12% percent or -27.38 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 28,780.55  with a loss of -0.49% percent or -140.35 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,882.23 with  a loss of  -0.74% percent or -21.42  point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 36,997.44 up with  +0.38% percent or +139.21  point at 12:15 PM.