Europe opens higher as data floods in
Major European stock exchanges opened the Thursday session with gains as data poured in. While German retail sales and the United Kingdom's house prices declined, Switzerland recorded a trade surplus. Traders are now expecting manufacturing PMI reports for the Eurozone, UK and Germany, alongside inflation and unemployment figures from the euro area. Elsewhere, the United States House of Representatives passed the debt ceiling bill.
The DAX added 0.50% at the opening bell, with Heidelberg Materials up 1.70% at 9:03 am CET. The FTSE 100 rose 0.26% at 9:00 am CET, as Convatec grew 2.66% simultaneously. At the open, the CAC 40 increased 0.51%, with ArcelorMittal up 1.55% at 9:02 am CET. The Euro Stoxx 50 started with a 0.64% gain, as Prosus advanced 2.06% at 9:01 am CET.
The euro and the pound were both flat against the dollar at 8:59 am CET, selling for 1.06854 and 1.24401 respectively.