The sector has already seen volatile trade this week, as investors reacted to Trump doubling tariffs on steel<\/a> to 50%.<\/p>\n BMW<\/a> is currently 1% lower, while Volkswagen<\/a> shares are 0.9% lower and Stellantis<\/a> is down 0.8%.<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Chloe Taylor<\/p>\n Stocks struggling for gains at the open<\/p>\n Europe’s Stoxx 600<\/a> index is fractionally higher at 8:17 a.m. London time, up around 0.02%, coming off the back of three positive sessions. <\/p>\n The U.K.’s FTSE 100<\/a> is leading the way with a 0.15% rise as oil and gas stocks advance amid higher crude prices<\/a>, though Germany’s DAX<\/a> and France’s CAC 40<\/a> are down 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively.<\/p>\n Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Stoxx 600 index.<\/p>\n Trump-Musk feud explodes<\/p>\n U.S. President-elect Donald Trump greets Elon Musk as he arrives to attend a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on November 19, 2024 in Brownsville, Texas.<\/p>\n Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images<\/p>\n Opening calls<\/p>\n Good morning from London.<\/p>\n European stocks look set to turn lower in the last trading session of the week, as investors around the world await more key data for clues on the shape of the U.S. economy.<\/p>\n FTSE 100 futures are currently 0.1% lower, while futures tied to the French CAC 40 and Germany’s DAX are down by 0.4% and 0.1%, respectively.<\/p>\n Regional stocks ended Thursday’s session higher<\/a> after the European Central Bank trimmed interest rates in a widely anticipated move.<\/p>\n U.S. nonfarm payrolls data<\/a> is due to be published later on Friday, with economists expecting a contraction in jobs from the previous month.<\/p>\n Trade tensions are also still in focus for global investors after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday. Trump said the 90-minute call was “very good” and “almost entirely” focused on trade.<\/p>\n \u2014\u00a0Chloe Taylor<\/p>\n What’s happening outside of Europe?<\/p>\n Overnight in Asia, stocks have been trading in mixed territory<\/a> as investors digest the news that Trump and Xi held what the U.S. President described as a “very good” call. <\/p>\n![\"hide](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a54b41835a8b60db28c2.svg.svg+xml\")
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