With the approach of the announcements of the ECB and the BOE, the European markets should open in the red. The Eurostoxx 50 at 4,222.05 points (-0.06%), the CAC 40 at 7,115.27 points (+0.22%), the DAX 40 at 15,613.77 points (-0.04%), the FTSE 100 at 7,583.00 points (+0.63%), SMI at 12,360.37 points (0.00%), AEX at 765.56 points (+0.04%), BEL 20 at 4,123 0.02 points (+0.31%), the IBEX 35 at 8,713.20 points (-0.15%), the DJIA at 35,629.33 points (+0.63%), the Nasdaq at 14,417.55 points (+0.50%), the S&P 500 at 4,589.38 points (+0.94%), the Nikkei 225 at 27,241.31 points (-1.06%).

With regard to exchange rates, the variation compared to the closing in New York indicates that the EUR/USD is displayed at 1.1300 (-0.05%), the EUR/JPY at 129.41 ( -0.01%), USD/JPY at 114.53 (+0.05%).

Investors will be watching on Thursday for the final figures of the PMI services index in France in January. Preliminary data released by IHS Markit on Jan. 24 signaled a slowdown in growth in the sector last month, as the index fell to 53.1, its lowest level in nine months, from 57 in December.

European equity markets are expected to start trading in the red on Thursday as investors await monetary policy decisions from the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BOE). The decline in technology stocks in the United States on Wednesday should also weigh on the sector in Europe. Around 7:40 a.m., the CAC 40 futures contract lost 38 points, or 0.5%, according to data from broker IG Markets. The DAX 40 contract was down 87 points, or 0.6%, and the FTSE 100 contract was down 19 points, or 0.2%.

In the United Kingdom, a second consecutive increase in the BOE key rate is expected by the market. This rate should be raised by 25 basis points, to 0.5%, predict the economists. Investors will focus on what Bank of England officials say about their intentions going forward. Wall Street closed higher on Wednesday, benefiting from strong quarterly results in the technology sector, which offset disappointing data on the employment front. The Dow Jones Index (DJIA) ended up 0.6% to 35,629.33 points, and the broader S&P 500 index rose 0.9% to 4,589.38 points. The Nasdaq Composite index rose 0.5% to 14,417.55 points. However, the technology sector in the United States and elsewhere is expected to suffer Thursday from the results of Meta Platforms. Shares in Facebook's parent company fell 22.9% in post-Wall Street trading on Wednesday after it reported results and guidance that fell short of expectations amid intense competition to capture market share. attention of Internet users. In Tokyo, the Nikkei index lost 1.1%. Bank of Japan (BOJ) Deputy Governor Masazumi Wakatabe dismissed speculation about monetary policy tightening soon, saying the Japanese economy was just beginning to recover from the health crisis.

The ten-year US Treasury bond yield continued to fall on Thursday morning, after falling to its lowest level in more than a week the previous day on news of job losses in the sector private in the United States in January. At 7:35 a.m., it stood at 1.770% against 1.779% on Wednesday evening. The report on non-farm employment in the United States is due on Friday. Capital Economics, however, expects a rebound in employment in February and the January figures should therefore not divert the Fed from its restrictive trajectory.

The dollar regained some ground on Thursday, including against the euro. The weakening of risk appetite, due to the decline in futures contracts on US equity indices, reinforces the attractiveness of the greenback, considered a safe haven. According to OCBC, financial markets may favor caution on Thursday as investors await monetary policy decisions from the ECB and BOE.

Oil futures fell Thursday morning, hurt by comments from Iran that it said it was ready to increase its production. At 7:25 am, the April contract on Brent North Sea oil lost 43 cents to 89.04 dollars a barrel. The Nymex-listed light sweet crude (WTI) March contract was down 53 cents at $87.72 a barrel. Oil prices rose on Wednesday and WTI hit a new seven-year high after OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and ten allied countries led by Russia, stuck to plans increase in production.