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.
For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Business News
April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.