Markets are expected to hesitate on Thursday, concerned about inflation and Covid-19 in Europe. The Eurostoxx 50 opens at 4,400.81 points (-0.02%), the CAC 40 at 7,156.85 points (+0.06%), the DAX 40 at 16,251.13 points (+0.02% ), the FTSE 100 at 7,291.20 points (-0.89%), the SMI at 12,600.15 points (+0.34%), the AEX at 827.57 points (+0.13%), the BEL 20 at 4,285.61 points (-0.36%), IBEX 35 at 8,993.40 points (-0.52%), DJIA at 35,931.05 points (-0.58%), Nasdaq at 15,921.57 points (-0.33%), the S&P 500 at 4,688.67 points (-0.26%) and the Nikkei 225 at 29,598.66 points (-0.30%).

Regarding exchange rates, the variation from the close in New York indicates a generally bullish trend. EUR/USD opens at 1.1320 (+0.01%), EUR/JPY at 129.23 (+0.05%) and USD/JPY at 114.18 (+0, 06%).

European equity markets should change little on Thursday at the opening, while the main indices are moving at historic highs. Investors are also concerned about inflation and the resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic in Europe. At 7:35 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract was unchanged, according to data from broker IG Markets. The flagship index of the Paris Stock Exchange closed Wednesday at a record 7,156.85 points. The DAX 40 contract gained 8 points, or 0.05%, and the FTSE 100 contract lost 7 points, or 0.1%. Ongoing concerns about inflation and the economic recovery from the health crisis are holding markets back, but a lack of alternatives to equities and hopes that consumption can continue to serve as the mainstay of economic recovery are helping gains and an uneven turnover depending on the sector. Inflation in the United States reached its highest level in three decades in October. Gasoline prices were notably up 60% in mid-November compared to the same period a year earlier, which brought the price of a gallon of gasoline to a record level since 2014.

In this context, Wall Street ended in decline on Wednesday after the publication of quarterly results variously appreciated in the retail sector and a decline in the energy sector, in the wake of oil prices. The Dow Jones Index (DJIA) lost 0.6% to 35,931.05 points, and the broader S&P 500 index lost 0.3% to 4,688.67 points. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.3% to 15,921.57 points. In Asia, the main stock markets are also moving into the red on Thursday. In Tokyo, the Nikkei index lost 0.3%, while the Hang Seng of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange dropped 1.4% at the end of the session. The Shanghai Composite index was close to equilibrium.

Yields on US Treasury bonds stabilized on Thursday morning, after losing ground the previous day, as investors remained focused on the risk that a tightening of monetary policy by the Federal Reserve (Fed) could hurt the recovery in the United States . At 7:35 a.m., the yield on the ten-year bond, the market benchmark, stood at 1.589% against 1.592% on Wednesday evening. Investors are broadly in agreement that the Fed will raise interest rates next year to fight inflation, but the debate is over how high rates should be raised next, leading to fluctuations in long-term yields and a decrease in the spread between short-term and long-term yields.

The euro is changing little Thursday morning against the dollar, while caution is gaining momentum in the market. Commerzbank underlines the existence of fears about inflationary pressures and the increase in Covid-19 cases in Europe and the United States. ING Bank expects the euro to fall to $1.10 by Q4 2022 as the Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates by next summer, while the ECB is expected to maintain his unchanged. At 7:35 a.m., the euro was trading at 1.1318 dollars. For its part, the pound should maintain its gains in 2022, given that the Bank of England (BOE) is expected to raise its key rate soon, estimates ING.

Oil contracts fell Thursday morning after US President Joe Biden asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate whether oil companies were using illegal practices to keep oil prices down. gasoline at high levels. Oil prices ended at their lowest level since early October on Wednesday at the close in New York, the barrel falling back below the 80 dollar mark. The price decline was fueled by reports from the Chinese daily South China Morning Post that the United States and China discussed the possibility of drawing down their strategic reserves to lower the price of black gold on occasion. of the virtual meeting between Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this week. The US Department of Energy's weekly report, released on Wednesday, showed a sharp drop in inventories, but failed to halt the sell-off, ANZ said. At 7:25 a.m., the January contract for Brent North Sea crude was down 44 cents to $79.84 a barrel. The December contract for light sweet crude (WTI) listed on the Nymex was down 72 cents at $77.64 a barrel.