European markets set to open lower; Vestas and Kingfisher report earnings

Markets in Europe are forecast to open lower Thursday as uncertainty surrounding internal U.S. policy continues to weigh on investor sentiment despite lessening tensions from North Korea.

The FTSE 100 is expected to open 22 points lower at 7,411; the French CAC is seen down 23 points at 5,153; and the German DAX is on track to open 48 points down at 12,215.

Asian stocks rose higher Thursday as pressure between the U.S. and North Korea showed continued signs of easing, but the U.S. dollar slipped into negative territory as investors lost confidence in the region’s pro-growth agenda.

President Donald Trump disbanded two high-profile business advisory councils Wednesday after seeing a mass exodus from chief executives over his response to violence in Charlottesville over the weekend. Meantime, minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting Wednesday showed policymakers divided over their view on inflation and their approach to interest rate hikes.

In Europe, new data released by the British Chambers of Commerce Thursday showed that exporter confidence has softened due to currency fluctuations and a shortage of skilled workers post-Brexit. This comes as Office for National Statistics announced that the number of EU citizens working in the U.K. has hit a record high.

In corporate earnings, Austrian construction company Wienerberger, Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas and British home improvement retailer Kingfisher are all due to report. Source: CNBC