Live Markets: Europe before the bell: Running hot
LIVE MARKETS-Europe before the bell: Running hot Adds new blog entry
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EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: RUNNING HOT
Just like the weather, equity markets in western Europe look to be running hot again on Wednesday even as doubts resurfaced about a possible peace deal in the Middle East after U.S. strikes in Iran.
Iran said the strikes violated the ceasefire, potentially complicating efforts to end the war, but markets are being lifted by lower oil prices and burgeoning confidence in the AI trade.
Euro STOXX 50 futures STXEc1 are up 0.2%. Futures on the DAX FDXc1 and CAC FCEc1 are also higher, while FTSE futures FFIc1 are down about 0.1%.
Overnight, Korea's Kospi .KS11 added another 2.2% to take its year-to-date gain to 95%. Japan's Nikkei 225 .N225 also rose to a new record, while the S&P 500 .SPX closed at a fresh peak on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, chipmakers SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron have entered the elite $1-trillion market cap club, as the AI rally roars on.
Among possible movers, Volvo Cars VOLCARb.ST, which is majority owned by China's Geely 0175.HK, could be in focus after it received approval from the U.S. government allowing it to continue to sell vehicles in the country.
(Samuel Indyk)
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