30.04.202606:04:59UTC+00European Stocks Set for Lower Open

European equity markets were set to open lower on Thursday as oil prices extended their rally, following reports that the US military would brief President Donald Trump on potential action against Iran, intensifying fears of a possible escalation in the conflict. Investors are also bracing for upcoming policy decisions from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England, both of which are widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged. However, their forward guidance will be closely examined for any signals on how policymakers are assessing the economic fallout from the Middle East tensions.

Market participants will additionally parse a new round of regional data, including GDP, employment, and inflation releases. On the corporate front, earnings are due from BNP Paribas, Glencore, Crédit Agricole, Volkswagen, and Standard Chartered, among others. In premarket trading, futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 were down 0.9% and 0.6%, respectively.