While investors will be closely watching the latest US inflation figures (CPI) to be published in the early afternoon, European stock markets are expected to open slightly higher on Wednesday.

The Banque de France in a first estimate published on Tuesday evening forecasts France's gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 0.1% to 0.2% in the first quarter compared to the fourth quarter. After having already recorded an increase in this profitability indicator last year, the retail real estate company Carmila announced on Tuesday evening that it expected a further increase in its recurring net earnings per

Due in particular to the group's investments in streaming and a decrease in television advertising revenue in the fourth quarter, the audiovisual group M6 published lower results in 2024 on Tuesday evening.

After the markets close, Rexel, EssilorLuxottica, Klépierre, Mercialys and Michelin are due to publish their latest results on Wednesday evening.

Around 7:30am, the CAC 40 futures contract is up by 0.2%, according to data from broker IG.

Before the release of U.S. consumer inflation data and a second day of testimony to Congress by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, stock futures predicted a higher opening on Wednesday . Tariff hikes could encourage Fed officials to delay rate cuts. According to Alan Detmeister, an economist at UBS, “this is probably encouraging them to be a bit more cautious about lowering rates

This Wednesday the Taiwanese giant Foxconn, manufacturer in particular of the Apple iPhone, indicated that it would adapt its production capacities geographically according to American customs duties.
According to data from broker IG, the DAX 40 futures contract gained 0.3%, while the FTSE 100 futures contract was stable

After the formalization of the new American tariffs on steel and aluminum and the first hearing of the President of the Federal Reserve (Fed) in Congress, the New York Stock Exchange ended without direction on Tuesday.

The Dow Jones Index (DJIA) gained 0.3%, at 44,593.65 points, and the S&P 500 index remained close to balance (+2 points), at 6,058.50 points. On the other hand, after its rebound the previous day, the Nasdaq Composite, rich in technological stocks, lost nearly 0.4%, to 19,643.86

In Asia, the Shanghai Composite gained 0.2% at the end of the session, while the Hang Seng rose by 1.9% on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Tokyo Stock Exchange closed up 0.4%

The 10-year Treasury bond rate was stable, at 4.55%, and the two-year bond rose 2 basis points (0.02 percentage points), at 4.31%, at around 7:30am.

The euro was stable at 1.0361 dollars, while the greenback gained 0.7% against the Japanese currency, at 153.63 yen, at 153.63 yen, around 7:30am.

The April contract for North Sea Brent traded in London fell by 27 cents, or -0.4%, to 76.73 dollars per barrel, at 76.73 dollars per barrel, around 7:30am. The March contract for light sweet crude (WTI) listed on Nymex lost 29 cents, or -0.4%,