European stock markets are expected to be close to balance this Thursday, in a climate of wait-and-see attitude before monetary policy decision of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the publication of the latest report on inflation in the United States.

The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) will publish its report on the business climate in December in the morning.

Around 7:40 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract was stable, according to data from the broker IG.

The markets are wait-and-see before monetary policy decisions by the Bank of England (BoE) and the ECB.

Around 7:40 a.m., the DAX 40 futures contract in Frankfurt sold out. 0.1%, while the one on the FTSE 100 in London was stable, according to the data from the broker IG.

Accenture, headquartered in Ireland, is due to release its results for first quarter this Thursday.

Les markets incorporate a high probability of a fall in the key interest rate of BoE, with the focus probably being on the distribution of votes and on the how the BoE will present its outlook for 2026. Inflation in United Kingdom slowed more than expected to stand at 3.2% in November, which makes it likely that rates will fall.

La BCE, for its part, is expected to maintain the status quo pending further data.

“With inflation close to the target, although still slightly higher, and stable growth (although not very spectacular), we do not Let's see no reason why the ECB should adjust its monetary policy short term,” underlines James Mashiter, portfolio manager at SEI.

Les Investors were also waiting for the publication of CPI inflation American, expected later in the day, after the values Wall Street technology has driven the main indexes down.

La The New York Stock Exchange ended sharply in the red on Wednesday, after a new round of concerns about the valuations and financing of artificial intelligence (AI). The Dow Jones Index ended down by 0.5%, to 47,886.16 points, while the S&P 500 lost 1.2%, to 6,721.51 dots. For its part, the Nasdaq index fell by more than 1.8% to 22,693.32 points.

From As for American companies, Nike and FedEx must unveil their Q2 results this Thursday evening after the close of Wall Street.

En Asia, the Nikkei index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell by 1% on Thursday. The clue Shanghai Composite advanced by 0.3% at the end of the session, while the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange fell by 0.4%.

The cost of insurance against the defect of payment on high-yield bonds in euros fell before key decisions of central banks on interest rates. The prospects of falling interest rates and a possible rise in asset prices have contributed to the optimism of investors, says Kyle Rodda of Capital.com in a note.

Around 7:40 a.m., the 10-year US Treasury bond rate fell by 2 basis points (0.02 percentage points), to 4.15%. The security rate at two years also gave up 2 basis points, to 3.48%.

The Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, who is listed on The list of candidates of American President Donald Trump to become the next president of the Fed, said that inflation would slow down in the coming months and that there was room for manoeuvre for decreases in substantial rates.

“I'm not particularly worried about it [inflation]. It is higher than the target, but I think it will start to fall in the next three or four months,” Waller said during a conference at Yale University. Christopher Waller expressed concern about the short-term outlook for the labour market, while adding that it expected employment growth to increase next year.

Around 7:40am, the euro advanced by 0.1% to 1.1747 dollars. The greenback rose 0.1% against the Japanese currency, at 155.88 yen.

Les Oil prices have been rising since US President Donald Trump Ordered on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday a total blockade of all oil tankers under sanctions entering and leaving Venezuela, increasing the risks of prolonged supply disruptions in the region.

“This decision marks a significant escalation in pressure. American decision on Venezuela and follows the recent seizure of a tanker, increasing the risk that prolonged disturbances may affect exports of around 590.000 barrels per day, most of which are destined for China,” judges Soojin Kim, an analyst at MUFG in Japan.

Around 7:40 a.m., the February contract on North Sea Brent listed at London gained 0.8% to $60.17 per barrel. The January contract on the Light sweet crude (WTI) listed on Nymex rose 1% to $56.49 per barrel.