Live Markets: Before the bell: Europe set for cautious open; EasyJet bid
LIVE MARKETS-Before the bell: Europe set for cautious open; EasyJet bid Adds blog post
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BEFORE THE BELL: EUROPE SET FOR CAUTIOUS OPEN; EASYJET BID
European equities look set for a muted start to the week on Monday, with futures pointing to a mixed open and little conviction despite a firmer lead from Asia on signs of progress in U.S.-Iran talks.
Euro STOXX 50 and DAX futures fall, tracking modest declines in U.S. stock futures, while FTSE 100 contracts add about 0.1%.
The semiconductor trade remains in focus after memory chip maker SK Hynix 000660.KS overtook Samsung Electronics 005930.KS as South Korea’s most valuable listed company, underlining strong investor appetite for AI-linked stocks.
In Europe, chip stocks are also seen supported, with Infineon IFXGn.DE bid after bullish comments by its CFO on sustained data centre demand.
Commodities-linked sectors look set for a weaker day as oil prices ease.
Moves elsewhere are driven by M&A and broker action.
EasyJet EZJ.L jumps around 6% on Tradegate after rejecting a renewed takeover approach from Castlelake.
Rheinmetall RHMG.DE gains more than 1% after an upgrade from Oddo to buy, while Carrefour CARR.PA rises after Morgan Stanley turned positive on its valuation and strategy.
In London, political uncertainty also lingers, as reports say Prime Minister Keir Starmer could set out a timetable for his departure, raising questions over fiscal policy under a potential successor.
Babcock BAB.L is seen lower after reporting a drop in annual underlying operating profit that missed expectations following a charge tied to a Royal Navy contract.
(Danilo Masoni)
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