European equity markets were set to open higher on Thursday, shrugging off escalating trade tensions sparked by Washington.
US President Donald Trump has now issued new tariff directives affecting 21 countries, while imposing a 50% levy on Brazilian imports starting August 1, citing unfair trade practices.
Despite the rising geopolitical uncertainty, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures were both up about 0.2% in premarket trading.
Investors in Europe are turning their attention to key data releases, including Italy’s industrial production figures for May and final inflation data from Germany for June.
In corporate news, German automaker Porsche warned of a €300 million hit to its second-quarter earnings due to the impact of US tariffs.