The DAX Futures is trading at 12,222.39 up with +0.74% percent or +89.90 point.The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 7,436.40 up with +0.33% percent or +24.40 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,527.50  with a loss of -0.64% percent or -35.50 point.  The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,435.00 with 0.00% percent or -0.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The dip in UK equities was despite a much better-than-expected reading on US retail sales for March that reportedly saw Goldman Sachs bump up its forecast for GDP growth in the first quarter from 2.1% to 2.4%.

Survey readings on the French and German economies in April published on Thursday also beat economists’ forecasts.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day Germany’s DAX closed at 11,999.93 up with +0.57% percent or +0.57% point. the FTSE 100 closed at 7,459.88   with a loss of -0.15% percent or -11.44 point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 5,580.38 up with +0.31% percent or +17.29 point. 

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 26,559.54  up with +0.40% percent or +106.88 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,905.03 up with +0.16% percent or +4.58 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,998.06  up with +0.025% percent or +1.98 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 22,200.56  up with +0.50% percent or +110.44 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 29,963.26  with a loss of -0.54% percent or -161.42   point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 3,262.14 up with +0.37% percent or +11.94 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 39,140.28   with a loss of -0.34% percent or -135.36 point at 12:15 PM.