European equity markets were poised for a weaker open on Thursday, weighed down by renewed trade concerns after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose unilateral tariffs within two weeks to pressure countries into trade agreements.
However, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that the Trump administration may extend the current 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for countries demonstrating “good faith” in negotiations.
The initial boost from progress in the US-China trade talks also started to fade, even as Trump declared that a trade deal with Beijing was “done.” In Europe, investors will closely watch the UK’s monthly GDP data and earnings results from Tesco, one of the region’s largest retailers.
In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 futures fell 0.7%, while Stoxx 600 futures slipped 0.5%.