A positive start for the main European indices, with investors keeping their focus on developments in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In the first few minutes of trading, the best is the Dax in Frankfurt which is up by about 1.2%, while the Cac40 is also doing well, with + 0.9%. London’s FTse 100 shows a moderate gain of 0.2%.
A new round of peace negotiations is expected tomorrow, still expected in Turkey, between Ukraine and Russia. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated that his country is ready to discuss the adoption of neutral status as part of a peace agreement with Russia.
At the macro level, today’s agenda includes only the publication of the US trade balance. On the monetary front, the speeches of the members of the various central banks continue. Today the intervention of Enria (ECB), Bailey (BoE) and the English Chancellor of the Exchequer Sunak is expected. During the week, the focus will be on the preliminary reading of euro area March inflation (Friday), expected to accelerate to 6.6% for the eighth consecutive month. We will have some indication already in the previous two days when the data on the individual countries will be published. Focus also on the data on the US labor market on the calendar again on Friday.