The DAX Futures is trading at 12,823.50 up with +0.11% percent or +14.00 point .The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 7,637.00 up with +0.58% percent or +44.00 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,489.55 up with +0.16% percent or +9.01 point .  The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures is trading at 3,510.00 up with +0.20% percent or +7.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

Trade tensions between the US and the European Union have cast a pall over relations between the sides, so the success of EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s visit to the White House was welcome news. The parties announced on Wednesday that they had agreed to hold off on any further tariffs while talks are ongoing. This is a major concession from Trump, who had threatened to impose tariffs on European car imports. US tariffs on European aluminum and steel will remain in place, but Juncker pointed out that the US has agreed to reassess these measures. The news boosted the DAX index, as automaker shares have jumped. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (MI:BMW) has climbed 3.20%, Daimler AG NA O.N. (DE:DAIGn) is up 2.80% and Volkswagen (DE:VOWG_p) has risen 3.53%. Bank shares are also higher, with Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) up 1.46% and Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) up 1.73%.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 25,527.07 up with +0.44% percent or +112.97 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,837.44  with a loss of -0.30% percent or -8.63 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,852.18  with a loss of -1.01% percent or -80.05 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 22,712.75 up with +0.56% percent or +125.88 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 28,765.68 with a loss of -0.054% percent or -15.46 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,873.59 with  a loss of  -0.30% percent or -8.63  point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 37,258.99 up with  +0.74% percent or +274.35  point at 12:15 PM.