European markets heading into negative territory at the open<\/p>\n
London was the No. 2 most-visited city in the world for 2023, according to Euromonitor International.<\/p>\n
Karl Hendon | Moment | Getty Images<\/p>\n
Good morning from London and welcome to CNBC’s live blog covering the latest action in European markets as well as business news, analysis, earnings and data.<\/p>\n
Here are the opening calls on Thursday:<\/p>\n
European markets are expected to open lower, with London’s FTSE seen opening down 43 points at 8,739, Germany’s\u00a0DAX<\/a> 135 points lower at 23,984, the French\u00a0CAC 40<\/a> down 48 points at 7,865\u00a0and Italy’s FTSE MIB<\/a> down 251 points at 40,331, according to data from IG.<\/p>\n \u2014 Holly Ellyatt<\/p>\n What to keep an eye on today<\/p>\n EasyJet passenger aircraft on the tarmac at London Southend Airport in Southend-on-Sea, U.K., on May 3, 2024.<\/p>\n Bloomberg | Getty Images<\/p>\n There are a couple of big earnings reports and data releases to look out for on Thursday:<\/p>\n Earnings are set to come from EasyJet<\/a>, BT<\/a>, British Land<\/a> and Tate and Lyle<\/a> on Thursday. Preliminary purchasing managers’ index data will be released for France and the U.K.<\/p>\n CNBC will also be bringing you interviews from the Barclays leadership conference, focusing on energy, geopolitics and sector-specific challenges.<\/p>\n \u2014 Holly Ellyatt<\/p>\n What’s been going on in Asia-Pacific and U.S. markets overnight?<\/p>\n Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on May 21, 2025, in New York City.<\/p>\n Spencer Platt | Getty Images<\/p>\n European markets are expected to follow their global counterparts lower on Thursday as concerns grow over the U.S.’ deepening budget deficit.<\/p>\n Asia-Pacific markets<\/a> fell overnight, tracking declines on Wall Street as investor sentiment soured on fears that a new U.S. budget bill could substantially add to the country’s debt.<\/p>\n U.S. stock futures were flat in overnight trading after markets stateside saw a sizable sell-off <\/a>Wednesday as worries about a ballooning deficit deepened.<\/p>\n In regular trading, the blue-chip\u00a0Dow<\/a>\u00a0slid more than 800 points, while the\u00a0S&P 500<\/a>\u00a0finished the day 1.6% lower. Equities were pressured by a\u00a0sharp spike\u00a0<\/a>in Treasury yields amid concerns that a new U.S. budget bill would put even more stress on the country’s already large deficit.<\/p>\n