European equity markets expected slightly lower at the open. The Eurostoxx 50 opens at 4,233.87 points (+0.31%), the CAC 40 at 6,804.22 points (+0.75%), the DAX 40 at 15,696.33 points (-0.06% ), the FTSE 100 at 7,249.47 points (-0.05%), the SMI at 12,153.10 points (+0.54%), the AEX at 812.23 points (-0.38%), the BEL 20 at 4,283.81 points (+1.74%), IBEX 35 at 9,025.80 points (+0.60%), DJIA at 35,730.48 points (+0.68%), Nasdaq at 15,448.12 points (+1.39%), the S&P 500 at 4,596.42 points (+0.98%) and the Nikkei 225 at 28,849.45 points (+0.11%).

On the exchange rate side, the variation compared to the closing in New York, EUR/USD at 1.1673 (-0.09%), EUR/JPY at 132.66 (-0.02% ) and USD/JPY at 113.66 (+0.07%).

The audiovisual group TF1 raised its operating margin target for 2021 on Thursday evening, after having recorded an increase in its profitability during the first nine months of the financial year. For the current year as a whole, the group is now targeting a current operating margin above 12%, whereas it previously expected a level close to the 10.9% reached in 2019. Friday, BNP Paribas and Air France -KLM present their third quarter results, while Safran, EssilorLuxottica, Sopra Steria, Tivoly and HF Company publish their quarterly revenue. On the macroeconomic side, growth in France's gross domestic product (GDP) accelerated in the third quarter, the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee) announced on Friday. Consumer price statistics for October and housing construction statistics for September will be released at 8:45 a.m. Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal expect an inflation rate of 0.4% month on month and 2.5% year on year in October. Last month, consumer prices fell 0.2% month on month but rose 2.1% year on year.

European equity markets are expected to open lower for the final session of the week, while Asian markets post a mixed performance on Friday morning. Around 7:25 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract lost 14.1 points, or 0.2%, according to data from broker IG Markets. The DAX 40 contract was down 62 points, or 0.4%, and the FTSE 100 contract was down 19.8 points, or 0.3%. The New York Stock Exchange ended higher on Thursday, propelling the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices to new all-time highs, despite reports of slower U.S. growth in the third quarter as investors remained buoyed by results satisfactory financial statements published by companies in recent days. The Dow Jones index gained 0.7% to 35,730.48 points, falling within thirty points of its last record set this week. The broader S&P 500 index gained 1% to reach a new high of 4,596.42 points. The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.4%, also setting a new record of 15,448.12 points. In Asia, the main stock market indices evolved in a contrasting fashion on Friday morning. At the end of the session, the Nikkei index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 0.1% and the Shanghai Composite index took 0.3%, while the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange yielded 0.5%.

Yields on US Treasury bonds rose Friday morning. At 7 a.m., the ten-year benchmark rate was at 1.599%, after ending Thursday's session at 1.579%. As the next forecasts of the ECB teams are not expected before December, the European institution has a little time to assess the evolution of inflation before taking a decision, indicates Pietro Baffico, economist for the Europe of the investment management company abrdn. A sharper rate hike is unlikely. BofA analysts consider that a 15 basis point increase and the imminent end of quantitative easing are more likely than a rise in the key rate beyond 0.25%.

The euro lost some ground on Friday morning against the dollar and the yen. The greenback is appreciating against the Japanese currency. Asian currencies have consolidated against the dollar, but could weaken as disappointing results from Apple and Amazon and a pullback in Wall Street futures on Friday morning may dampen risk appetite. Investors will examine the US PCE inflation indicator for September on Friday. While inflation in the United States seems more persistent than transitory, the possibility of higher interest rates could support the dollar in the short term, indicates CBA.

Oil prices struggled to gain ground on Friday morning, following signals indicating renewed interest from Iran in talks aimed at reviving the nuclear deal. A surge in Covid-19 cases around the world could weaken demand for oil, ANZ points out. As of 7:30 a.m., the December North Sea Brent contract was up 11 cents to $84.43 a barrel. The same-maturity contract on light sweet crude oil (WTI) listed on the Nymex took 4 cents, at 82.84 dollars a barrel.