The Paris Bourse is expected to open slightly higher on Thursday, being attentive to corporate results before statements by central bankers and ignoring the televised debate between the two candidates for the French presidential election.
The futures contract for the star CAC 40 index gleaned 0.18% about forty minutes before the opening of the session the day after a rebound of 1.15%.
CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson expects a mixed opening, awaiting comments from the holy trinity of central banks, namely Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, ECB President Christine Lagarde and Andrew Bailey , Governor of the Bank of England, who are all due to speak, at a meeting of the International Monetary Fund.
Expectations about the pace that central banks will adopt to reduce their monetary support have been driving the markets for months and have pushed bond interest rates to levels not seen for several years.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has not yet given a timetable for its future rate hikes, the first of which is expected by the end of the year by the market.
Lagarde’s remarks will come under scrutiny after comments from Martin Kazaks, a member of Latvia’s board of governors, who said yesterday that a rate hike in July was possible and that monetary tightening should not wait evidence of wage growth, says Hewson.
Investors will also take a look at the latest estimate of inflation in the euro zone in March, the first figures of which had reported a rise in prices of 7.5% over one year.
Publications of corporate results continue with those of a few heavyweights on Thursday, including Kering in France, Nestl in Switzerland or American Airlines in the United States.
In France, the television debate on Wednesday evening between the two finalists in the presidential election did not upset investors.
The last round of voting for the French presidential election this weekend should limit gains in European markets, currencies or equities, as will the progress of the new Russian offensive in Ukraine, nevertheless estimates Jeffrey Halley, analyst at Oanda.
The Russian army has intensified its offensive on eastern Ukraine and intends to seize the entire strategic city of Mariupol.
save on fees and earn up to €500 thanks our comparison of life insurance
Values follow
Eurofins Scientific: the French giant of analytical laboratories, saw its revenues increase in the first quarter despite the impact of the drop in sales of Covid-19 diagnostic tests.
Edenred: the French prepaid services company, parent company of Ticket Restaurant, saw its turnover increase by 17.6% from January to March 2022, compared to an activity subject to health restrictions during the same period last year.
Sartorius Stedim Biotech: the equipment supplier for the biopharmaceutical sector experienced strong revenue growth in the first quarter, both driven by its products, particularly related to Covid, as well as by its acquisitions.
Getlink: the Channel Tunnel operator published a 47.5% increase in turnover in the first quarter, benefiting from the lifting of most health restrictions for cross-Channel traffic, but its activity remains affected by the pandemic.