At the opening this Friday, European stock markets are unlikely to change much, while investors could opt for caution on the eve of the possible introduction by the United States of customs taxes on products imported from Canada and Mexico by the United States.

The IT services group Atos, which completed its restructuring plan last December, is meeting its shareholders at a general meeting on Friday starting at 10:00am in order to have its results approved at the end of December 2023. This meeting must also ratify the appointment of Philippe Salle to the board of directors. Appointed president last October, Philippe Salle must also officially take over as CEO at the end of the meeting.

Sopra Steria has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire Aurexia, a French management consulting firm specializing in financial services.

On Thursday evening, the industrial laundry group Elis confirmed its financial objectives for the past fiscal year, after registering a slight acceleration in its organic growth in the fourth quarter.

Around 7:40 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract rose by 0.1%, according to data from broker IG.

As investors watch for Donald Trump's tariff announcements, European equity markets could rise timidly at the open on Friday. The American president reaffirmed on Thursday his intention to impose 25% taxes on Canadian and Mexican products as of February 1. According to data from broker IG, the DAX 40 futures contract gained 0.1%, while the FTSE 100 futures contract advanced by 0.2%. In the wake of the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate status quo, the New York Stock Exchange closed in the green on Thursday, after generally welcoming a series of earnings releases in the technology sector

The Dow Jones Index (DJIA) gained 0.4%, to 44,882.13 points, and the expanded S&P 500 index gained 0.5%, to 6,071.17 points. The Nasdaq Composite, rich in technological stocks, rose by 0.3% to 19,681.75 points. While the market was waiting for possible announcements from Donald Trump on the tariff front, Wall Street however limited its progress at the end of the session.

After reporting lower-than-expected sales in its cloud computing business in the fourth quarter, Microsoft lost 6.2% on Thursday. After their quarterly publication, Meta and Tesla, on the other hand, gained ground and IBM jumped by 13%

Intel for its part reported lower sales and a loss for the fourth quarter, completing a difficult year marked by the departure of its CEO, extensive restructuring and chip sales under pressure from competitors. However, its turnover fell less than expected and exceeded analysts' consensus, while its adjusted result, which excludes scope effects and exceptional items, was generally in line with expectations. The stock jumped 3.7% after the close

After the close, Apple reported broadly in line with expectations for the first quarter of its lagged fiscal year, but experienced a sharper than expected slowdown in iPhone sales and business in China. Its total turnover, up by almost 4%, to 124.3 billion dollars, is in line with forecasts and is a new historical record for the group. Apple stock gained 3% in post-close trading.
In Asia, the Nikkei 225 index closed up 0.2% on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Markets in mainland China and Hong Kong are closed on Friday due to Chinese New Year celebrations.

The 10-year US Treasury bond rate was up about 3 basis points, to 4.55%, at around 7:30. That of the two-year stock rose by 2 basis points, to 4.24%.

Backed by renewed threats from President Trump to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico beginning on Saturday, the dollar is strengthening against most other G10 and Asian currencies. According to Vishnu Varathan of Mizuho Securities, the dollar “is supported by threats of American tariffs and economic exceptionalism in the

Around 7:40am, the euro was stable at 1.0394 dollars. The greenback gained 0.3% against the Japanese currency, at 154.67

The March contract for light sweet crude (WTI) listed on Nymex rose by 57 cents, or 0.8%, to 73.30 dollars per barrel, while the April contract on North Sea Brent listed in London rose 41 cents, or 0.5%, to 76.30 dollars per barrel, while the April contract on North Sea Brent listed in London gained 41 cents, or 0.5%, to 76.30 dollars per barrel, while the April contract on North Sea Brent listed in London gained 41 cents, or 0.5%, to 76.30 dollars per barrel, while the April contract on North Sea Brent listed in London gained 41 cents, or 0.5%, to 76.30 dollars per barrel, at around 7:40am.