FX.co ★ European Markets Head for Higher Open

European stocks were poised for a higher opening on Thursday as they continued to ride a wave of optimism fueled by strong corporate earnings, advancements in artificial intelligence, and the potential for further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. This positive sentiment overshadowed concerns about the ongoing US government shutdown, projected to persist for at least three days. In Europe, investors will focus on upcoming Eurozone unemployment statistics and French budget data, although no significant corporate earnings announcements are expected. Recent reports indicated a 2.2% rise in Eurozone inflation for September, aligning with projections and bolstering the belief that the European Central Bank will maintain its current policies through the end of the year. In pre-market trading, futures for the Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.6%, while Stoxx 600 futures increased by 0.5%.