European markets head for positive open after Fed meeting; BoE SNB rate

This is CNBC's live blog covering European markets. European markets are heading for a positive open Thursday, with investors in the region keeping an eye on the latest monetary policy decisions from the Bank of England, Norges Bank and the Swiss National Bank. U. S. stock futures climbed Thursday morning after the three major averages stateside closed at new records after the U. S. Federal Reserve concluded its latest policy meeting. Those gains came as the Fed reiterated expectations for three cuts to interest rates this year. The central bank kept borrowing costs unchanged at its two-day March policy meeting, which concluded Wednesday. In Asia-Pacific markets overnight, Japan stocks hit a fresh all-time high. A new class of highly effective weight loss medications could deal a blow to several major Swiss food companies while benefiting others, according to Vontobel. The drugs, which imitate the effects of the GLP-1 hormone to reduce appetite and calorie intake dramatically, are showing remarkable efficacy in clinical trials. As a result, patients lose up to 25% of their body weight on average. Vontobel said a baked goods maker and a chocolate giant could lose out on the rising trend, affecting their stock. Both are traded over the counter in the U. S. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. Many on Wall Street have been asking themselves whether markets are getting too euphoric — and if there's a bubble waiting to burst. Many AI-linked stocks have rocketed. Veteran tech investor Paul Meeks, co-chief investment officer at Harvest Portfolio Management, says AI infrastructure plays that enable the building of large language models "have legs," naming Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices as examples. But on the flip side, some small-cap AI plays are "dangerous," he told CNBC Pro. Subscribers can read more here. European markets are set to open in positive territory. The U. K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 56 points higher at 7,788, Germany's DAX up 176 points at 18,188, France's CAC 70 points lower at 8,231 and Italy's FTSE MIB up 262 points at 34,039, according to data from IG. Earnings come from Next, London Gatwick Airport, Direct Line, BMW and Swatch. Data releases include preliminary manufacturing and services activity data for March from the euro zone and new car registration data from the U. K., France, Germany and Italy for February. All data is taken from the source: http://cnbc.com Article Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/21/european-m... #newsfeed #newstodaycnn #newsworldnow #newsworldabc #newstodayworld #newstodayabc #