Markets in Europe are expected to open on a strong note on Thursday tracking the bullish momentum in the Asian markets as well as the rally in Wall Street, a day earlier. Despite the strong retails sales numbers from the U.S. on Wednesday, markets have chosen to view it as a sign of the resilience of the U.S. economy, rather than as a trigger for further Fed tightening.
Wall Street had closed on a strong note on Wednesday as a fresh set of data indicated a strong economy. Retail sales jumped 3 percent, more than the expected level of 1.8 percent. The Nasdaq Composite added 0.92 percent to close at 12,070.59 whereas the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.11 percent to finish trading at 34,128.05.
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Market Analysis
April 24, 2026 15:15 ET Economics news flow was relatively light this week even as the conflict in the Middle East continued, raising concerns for policymakers. In the U.S., spending data, initial jobless claims and pending home sales were the highlights. Business confidence in the biggest euro area economy was in focus in Europe. Inflation data from Japan gained attention in Asia.