European stock markets are expected to open higher before Powell's speech. The Eurostoxx 50 opens at 3,674.54 points (+0.19%), the CAC 40 at 6,381.56 points (-0.08%), the DAX 40 at 13,271.96 points (+0.39%), the FTSE 100 at 7,479.74 points (+0.11%), the SMI at 11,063.88 points (+0.46%), the AEX at 718.25 points (+0.11%), the SMI at 11,063.88 points (+0.46%), the AEX at 718.25 points (+0.11%), the SMI at 11,063.88 points (+0.46%), and the AEX at 718.25 points (+0.11%). 0.62%), the BEL 20 at 3,732.03 points (-0.01%), the IBEX 35 at 8,187.50 points (-0.15%), the DJIA at 33,291.78 points (+0.98%), the Nasdaq at 12,639.27 points (+1.67%), the S&P 500 at 4,199.12 points (+1.41%) and the Nikkei 225 at 28,638,67 points (+1.67%) ,41 points (+0.56%).

As for exchange rates, the change from the close in New York indicates that EUR/USD opens at 0.9970 (-0.06%), EUR/JPY at 136.38 (+0.16%), and USD/JPY at 136.79 (+0.21%).

European stock markets are expected to open higher on Friday, encouraged by the rise in the New York Stock Exchange indices on Thursday. Around 7:40am, the CAC 40 futures contract gained 19.2 points, or 0.3%, according to data from the IG Markets broker. The DAX contract rose 52.5 points, or 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 contract advanced 19.7 points, or 0.3%. However, the rise in European equity markets may be timid, with investors waiting for the Chairman of the US Federal Reserve (Fed), Jerome Powell, to speak at the Jackson Hole meeting at 16:00 (Paris time). Investors will review Jerome Powell's comments for clues about the direction of the Fed's policy, which has weighed heavily on markets recently.

The New York Stock Exchange finished sharply higher on Thursday, supported by better-than-expected economic indicators. The Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes closed at their highest level in two weeks. Among today's indicators, the contraction of the US economy in the second quarter was revised to 0.6% after being initially announced at 0.9%. Economists expected a fall in activity of 0.5%. Unemployment registrations also fell slightly last week, to 243,000, according to figures from the Labor Department.

Strategists point out that investors are reluctant to take positions before Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium on Friday. Before Jerome Powell's speech, investors will review American household expenditure and income statistics as well as the PCE inflation indicator for the month of July, which will be released at 14:30. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Household Confidence Index for August will be released at 4 p.m.

In Asia, equity markets were gaining ground on Friday morning, supported by the tech sector. At the end of the session, the Nikkei index rose 0.6% in Tokyo, the Hang Seng Index on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange rose by 0.7% and the Shanghai Composite gained 0.1%.

Treasury bond yields regained some ground in Asia on Friday, after falling on Thursday. The reversal of the curve is increasing, a sign that investors expect the Fed to remain firm against inflation in the short term, but then to quickly change course when interest rate hikes push the economy into recession. The spread between 10-year and 2-year bond rates narrowed to -36 basis points after comments by Saint Louis Fed Chairman James Bullard, who called for rapid rate hikes this year and warned that financial markets were underestimating the persistence of inflation. Around 7:20 a.m., the 10-year US Treasury rate gained 2 basis points to 3.049%. The 2-year stock was almost unchanged, at 3.388%.

The euro fell slightly against the dollar on Friday morning but appreciated against the yen, like the greenback. Inflation in the United States seems to have peaked while oil and gas prices are falling, says Bank of America (BofA), which estimates that the dollar has also peaked.

Crude oil futures are rising in Asia, following their sharp fall on Thursday, as traders continue to question the possibility of a deal on Iran's nuclear program and a reduction in OPEC production. Market tensions could continue as OPEC+ members have signalled that they may cut production if prices continue to fall, Tina Teng, an analyst at CMC Markets, said in an email. OPEC and its allies plan to hold their next monthly meeting on September 5. Around 07:30, the October contract on WTI listed in New York won 67 cents at $93.19 per barrel, while the Brent contract of the same maturity increased by 68 cents to $100.02 per barrel.