Les marchés d' actions européens attendus en hausse prior to the ECB decision, the EuroStoxx 50 s' opens at 5,035.66 points (+1.66%), the CAC 40 at 8,006.57 points (+0.87%), the DAX 40 at 18,575.94 points (+0.93%), the FTSE 100 at 8,246.95 points (+1.66%), the SMI at 8,246.95 points (+0.18%), the SMI at 12,150.02 points (+1.17%), the AEX at 918.67 points (+1.93%), the BEL 20 at 3,906.85 points (-0.32%), the IBEX 35 at 11,353.10 points (+0.59%), the DJIA at 38,807.33 points (+0.25%), the Nasdaq at 17,187.90 points (+1.32%), the IBEX 35 at 11,353.10 points (+1.96%), the S&P 500 at 5,354.03 points (+0.59%), and the Nikkei 225 at 38,751.45 points (+0.68%).

As for exchange rates, the change from the close indicates that in New York, EUR/USD is 1.0888 (+0.16%), EUR/JPY is 169.59 (-0.07%), and USD/JPY is 155.77 (-0.22%), and USD/JPY is 155.77 (-0.22%).

On Wednesday evening, the construction and concessions group Vinci announced the acquisition of two family-owned public works companies in North America, representing a total turnover of more than 150 million euros. The financial terms of these transactions were not disclosed.

Saint-Gobain is holding its annual general meeting on Thursday, while Rémy Cointreau is publishing its annual results.

In a context of optimism about the possibility of global interest rates falling, European equity markets are expected to open higher on Thursday. At around 7:20am, the CAC 40 futures contract gained 26 points, or 0.3%, according to data from broker IG. The DAX 40 contract took 67 points, or 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 contract rose by 20.7 points, or 0.3%. The Bank of Canada announced a reduction in its key interest rate on Wednesday, becoming the first central bank of G7 economies to ease its monetary policy after months of restraint to fight inflation

This Thursday, attention will be drawn to the monetary policy decision of the European Central Bank (ECB), which is expected to lower interest rates for the first time since the surge in inflation following the pandemic of Covid-19. The New York Stock Exchange closed higher and set new records on Wednesday, driven by a strong rise in technology stocks in the wake of Apple and Nvidia, which both passed the $3 trillion mark in capitalization. The company Automatic Data Process (ADP) reported on Wednesday the creation of 152,000 net jobs in the United States in May, after 188,000 in April. Economists expected a higher number, 175,000 jobs

Asian equity markets presented a mixed picture on Thursday. The Nikkei Index on the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 0.7% at the end of the session and the Hang Seng on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange gained 0.6%, while the Shanghai Composite Index

After falling on Wednesday, US Treasury yields are up this morning. Traders are focused on the possibility that inflation will start to subside and on the prospect of a reduction in global interest rates. According to Peter Cardillo of Spartan Capital Securities, “the association between an employment report that could be mixed on Friday, the fall in interest rates in Canada and the reduction in key ECB rates expected [Thursday] will increase the attractiveness of the bond market.” Around 7:10 a.m., the 10-year US Treasury bond rate gained 2 basis points, to 4.298%. The yield on the two-year stock also rose by 2 basis points, to 4.747%.

This morning, the euro appreciated against the dollar, but gave way against the yen. DHF Capital indicated that the ECB should cut interest rates on Thursday, but uncertainty remains about what to come, which could subject the euro to some volatility. The financial intermediary indicates that “the euro and European government bond rates could fall if the ECB adopts a more accommodative tone regarding the trajectory of interest rates.”

After losing ground at the beginning of the week, oil prices are rising this morning, probably due to cheap purchases. According to Fawad Razaqzada, a market analyst at City Index and Forex.com style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style”, "serif">, “it remains to be seen whether this recovery will last, given that continuing concerns about demand and the decision of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies to end voluntary production cuts, while supply from non-OPEC countries is increasing.” At around 6:50am, the August North Sea Brent contract gained 39 cents, at $78.80 per barrel. The July contract for light sweet crude (WTI) listed on Nymex rose by 48 cents to $74.55