Europe set for lackluster open as markets gear up for U.S. jobs data

  • European stocks are expected to open flat on Thursday as investors gear up for the next reading of U.S. nonfarm payrolls which is due Friday.
  • London's FTSE is seen opening 7 points lower at 7,133, Germany's DAX 42 points lower at 15,775, France's CAC 40 down 4 points at 6,753 and Italy's FTSE MIB 52 points lower at 26,123, according to IG.

LONDON — European stocks are expected to open flat on Thursday as investors gear up for the next reading of U.S. nonfarm payrolls which is due Friday.

London's FTSE is seen opening 7 points lower at 7,133, Germany's DAX 42 points lower at 15,775, France's CAC 40 down 4 points at 6,753 and Italy's FTSE MIB 52 points lower at 26,123, according to IG.

Investors around the world are closely watching data releases from the U.S. in the next few days. The markets are expecting the weekly initial jobless claims report Thursday and the Labor Department's nonfarm payrolls report on Friday.

The nonfarm payrolls report for August is expected to show 720,000 new jobs added and an unemployment rate falling to 5.2%, according to Dow Jones estimates.

The data could influence when the U.S. Federal Reserve begins to taper its asset purchase program, and the policy direction of central banks in Europe. U.S. stock futures were little changed on Wednesday night.

Recent statements out of the central bank indicate that it likely will slow the pace of its monthly purchases of bonds so long as job growth continues apace. 

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Meanwhile in Asia-Pacific markets overnight, shares were mixed as investors reacted to trade data and corporate news from the region; Australia recorded a trade surplus of 12.117 billion Australian dollars (about $8.93 billion) in July, according to data released Thursday by the country's Bureau of Statistics.

Mainland Chinese stocks were mixed after Chinese regulators summoned and interviewed 11 ride-hailing firms asking them to rectify "illegal behavior."

In Covid vaccine developments, Moderna and Takeda Pharmaceutical announced Wednesday they are working with Japanese authorities to recall several batches after stainless steel contaminants were discovered in some vials.

Earnings in Europe on Thursday come from Barratt Developments and Superdry and data releases include euro zone producer prices for July.

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– CNBC's Eustance Huang, Jeff Cox and Tanaya Macheel contributed to this report.

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