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Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters
stocks reporters. You can share your thoughts with Joice Alves (joice.alves@thomsonreuters.com)
and Julien Ponthus (julien.ponthus@thomsonreuters.com) in London and Stefano Rebaudo
(stefano.rebaudo@thomsonreuters.com) in Milan.
ON THE RADAR: AUTOMAKERS, LEISURE STOCKS (0646 GMT)
Futures are pointing to a start of the day in the red for European equities ahead of EZ
employment and GDP data and amid a dire mood after disappointing economic data in China.
In terms of corporate news, Daimler will pay $1.5 bln to settle U.S. diesel cases
relating to investigations into software to cheat diesel emissions tests.
Another automaker, Volkswagen said it was expanding its Chattanooga factory in
Tennessee to make electric vehicle cells and battery packs in the U.S., alongside assembling
electric vehicles.
In the travel space, British low cost airline easyJet raised an extra $266 million
to boost its finances during the pandemic from the sale and leaseback of five aircraft. While
French casino company Groupe Partouche will join forces with Japan's Pixel Companyz
to develop a new resort in Japan.
Meantime, the Philippine unit of Royal Dutch Shell said it will permanently shut one of the
country's two oil refineries, blaming a pandemic-led slump in margins, with other regional
closures likely to follow, according to analysts.
Things looked good for German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd, which nearly
doubled net profit in H1 2020 and kept its FY outlook intact but warned that the coronavirus
crisis bears indiscernible risks for its operations.
Maersk Drilling Q2 revenue rises to $305 million
(Joice Alves)
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MORNING CALL: THAT DISCOURAGING DATA (0535 GMT)
After a three-day rally, European equity markets ran out of steam yesterday and futures are
pointing to a lower start of the day on Friday ahead of key EZ data and as global sentiment is
risk off amid Chinese economic data and worries about a delay in U.S. fiscal stimulus.
A slower-than-expected rise in industrial production in China and a surprise fall in retail
sales are weighing on global investor sentiment. While the EZ employment and GDP data will be
out at 0900 GMT, giving more evidence of the scale of pandemic damage to the bloc's economy.
Meantime, data showed that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits in the U.S.
dropped below one million for the first time since the start of the pandemic, but this was not
enough to change economists' views that the job market is faltering.
Traders are also awaiting for a meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials about their Phase
1 trade deal on Saturday.
(Joice Alves)
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