LIVE MARKETS-Europe set to open lower as U.S. earnings season kicks off

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EUROPE SET TO OPEN LOWER AS U.S. EARNINGS SEASON KICKS OFF
(0540 GMT)

After touching fresh record highs last week, European
bourses are seen opening lower mirroring Asia shares as earnings
season in the U.S. kicks off with investors looking for signals
that earnings can justify sky-high valuations.

Global investors are also expected to react after an
anti-monopoly probe in China found the e-commerce giant Alibaba
Group Holding abused its dominant market position for
several years.

China slapped a record 18 billion yuan ($2.75 billion) fine
on the e-commerce giant and reverberations could be felt beyond
the Asian country as over a third of the stock is held by U.S.
investors.

Over the weekend, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the economy
is about to start growing much more quickly, though the
coronavirus remained a threat.

(Joice Alves)

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