British News Agency

According to analysts, the UK’s FTSE 100 index is set to open slightly lower, while futures for France’s CAC and Italy’s FTSE MIB indices are expected to rise about 0.1%. Germany’s DAX index is forecast to show little change from the previous session.

European stock markets closed lower on Thursday. After a busy day of earnings, most sectors and major exchanges ended the session in negative territory.

Beverage giant Diageo was among the most active movers. Shares listed on the London Stock Exchange fell 6.5% after the company cut its year-end forecast, citing weakness in the Chinese and U.S. markets.

As earnings season continues, companies reporting on Friday include Richemont, International Consolidated Airlines Group SA, Daimler Truck Holding AG, Amadeus IT Group SA, Cellnex Telecom SA, and OTP Bank NYRT.

Investors will also watch a range of data, including Germany’s import and export figures and France’s trade numbers. The UK’s House Price Index is also expected today. These reports follow decisions by the Bank of England and the Norwegian Central Bank to keep interest rates unchanged.

Asian markets fell overnight, tracking Wall Street’s tech-led sell-off. Japan’s Nikkei 225, which had recently gained, dropped 2.03%, with AI-related stocks leading the losses. SoftBank, which reports next week, fell more than 8%.

In the U.S., the tech rally appeared to lose steam—or at least take a pause—on Thursday. The biggest declines came from Nvidia, Microsoft, Palantir Technologies, Broadcom, and Advanced Micro Devices, indicating waning investor interest in AI-related stocks.

Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk received shareholder approval for a Tesla compensation package worth up to $1 trillion, supported by 75% of the votes cast.