European stock futures point to a mixed open on Thursday as investors digest the latest news on Brexit and keep an eye on U.S.-China trade talks.
FTSE 100 futures traded flat, while the DAX was seen up 20.2 points and the CAC 40 pointed to a slightly lower open, according to IG index data.
On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Theresa May said she had obtained enough support from senior members of her Cabinet for a draft Brexit deal to move forward. But market watchers say that there are doubts over whether the draft withdrawal agreement will get parliamentary approval.
Meanwhile, stocks in Asia saw market sentiment improve on reports that China has delivered a written response to U.S. trade demands. U.S. government sources told Reuters on Wednesday that China had sent a response to U.S. demands on the ongoing trade negotiation, giving hopes to investors that the two sides might bring an end to the spat.
Concerns over an oversupply in oil markets continues to dominate investor sentiment. On Thursday, oil prices slipped amid fears of rising supply and slow consumption. Front-month Brent crude oil futures were trading at $65.88 per barrel, down 24 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last close.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $55.96 a barrel, down 29 cents, or 0.5 percent.
Back in Europe, it’s a busy day with Vivendi, Bouygues, and Manchester United reporting corporate earnings. On the data front, U.K. retail sales is expected at 09:30 a.m. GMT.
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