European stocks should open higher, the Fed launches its "tapering". The Eurostoxx 50 opens at 4,309.61 points (+0.31%), the CAC 40 at 6,950.65 points (+0.34%), the DAX 40 at 15,959.98 points (+0.03% ), the FTSE 100 at 7,248.89 points (-0.36%), the SMI at 12,383.27 points (+0.51%), the AEX at 816.01 points (+0.46%), the BEL 20 at 4,369.23 points (+0.84%), IBEX 35 at 9,030.80 points (-0.82%), DJIA at 36,157.58 points (+0.29%), Nasdaq at 15,811.58 points (+1.04%), the S&P 500 at 4,660.57 points (+0.65%) and the Nikkei 225 at 29,794.37 points (+0.93%).

Regarding exchange rates, the change from the close in New York indicates that EUR/USD opens at 1.1588 (-0.21%), EUR/JPY at 132.29 (-0.07%), USD/JPY at 114.17 (+0.14%).

European equity markets are expected to open higher on Thursday, as the Federal Reserve (Fed) kicked off Wednesday evening the "tapering", the process of gradually reducing its asset purchases. Around 7:40 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract rose 42 points, or 0.6%, according to data from broker IG Markets. The contract on the DAX 40 gained 87 points, or 0.6%, and that on the FTSE 100 gained 28 points, or 0.4%. Wall Street ended higher on Wednesday, setting new all-time highs. The Dow Jones Index (DJIA) rose 0.3% to sign for its third consecutive record for the week, at 36,157.58 points. The broader S&P 500 index rose 0.7% to a new high of 4,660.56 points. The Nasdaq Composite gained 0.1% to also reach a new high of 15,811.58 points. Asian markets are also moving in the green on Thursday. The Tokyo Stock Exchange's Nikkei index closed up 0.9%. Elsewhere in Asia, the Hang Seng index advanced 0.2% in Hong Kong and the Shanghai Composite gained 0.7%.

Yields on long-term U.S. Treasury bonds rose to their highest level in more than a week on Wednesday after the Fed announced its intention to start scaling back its bond purchases and exercise patience before raising prices. interest rate. The yield on the ten-year Treasury note, the market benchmark, ended at 1.606% on Wednesday, down from 1.553% on Tuesday night.

The euro fell against the dollar on Thursday. At 1.1583 dollars, the single currency is trading at its lowest levels for more than a year against the greenback. With the single currency breaking through support at $1.1590, it could fall back to $1.1570, according to technical analyst Trading Central.

Oil contracts fell Thursday morning, penalized by the announcement of an increase in crude inventories in the United States for the second consecutive week. The barrel of black gold is also affected by the appreciation of the dollar after the announcements of the Fed and by the imminent resumption of negotiations between the United States and Iran to revive the nuclear agreement, indicates CBA. Iran's oil exports, currently at 100,000 to 200,000 barrels per day, could increase significantly and boost global crude supply if US sanctions are lifted, CBA said. The bank estimates that a barrel of Brent could average $85 in the fourth quarter, before falling in the first half of 2022. Around 7:30 a.m., the January contract on Brent North Sea was losing 53 cents, at $81.46 per barrel. barrel. The December contract on Nymex-listed light sweet crude (WTI) was down 75 cents at $80.11 a barrel.