At around 8:20, the futures for the leading European stock exchanges showed declines. The notations for the Paris and Frankfurt stock exchanges were down 0.1-0.2 percent, while pre-trading at IG in Stockholm indicated an opening down by about 0.2 percent.
The US stock markets were mixed on Thursday, with a 0.3 percent decline for the S&P 500, while the Nasdaq Composite closed up by the same amount.
In Asia, the stock markets were mostly down on Friday morning. The Japanese Nikkei 225 index was down by 0.4 percent, while the Hong Kong stock exchange was closed due to a typhoon warning from the authorities.
Today’s focus is on the US job figures. The latest data was one of the triggering factors for the significant stock market drop that kicked off August.
“Employment has slowed down, while layoffs remain relatively few and higher unemployment is driven by increasing labor force participation, mainly through immigration,” wrote SEB in a morning note.
Consensus according to Trading Economics suggests that the number of employed individuals is expected to have increased by 160,000, up from 114,000 in July. The unemployment rate is also expected to have dropped to 4.2 from 4.3 percent.
On the news front, it has been relatively quiet this morning.
Medical technology and cybersecurity company Sectra reported higher net sales and operating income for the first quarter of the fiscal year.
Animal health company Vimian has signed an agreement to acquire IM3 Dental Limited in Ireland and 80 percent of IM3 in Australia, a player in veterinary dental equipment and products.
Analysis:
The global stock markets are showing signs of decline as investors await the US jobs data. This data is crucial as it can impact market sentiment and future investment decisions. Companies like Sectra and Vimian are also making moves in their respective industries, which could affect their stock prices. It is important for investors to stay informed and monitor these developments to make informed decisions about their finances.