BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks are seen opening broadly higher on Thursday as solid U.S. private sector employment and services sector activity data helped calm investor worries about stretched valuations.
Traders will also react to the results from the U.S. elections 2025 and the latest developments in the U.S. Supreme Court on Trump tariffs.
In the first major elections since President Trump's return to office, Democrats celebrated election wins from coast to coast, setting the stage for a big 2026 midterm clash.
Supreme Court justices questioned the legality behind a wide swath of Donald Trump's tariffs on Wednesday and raised key constitutional questions about executive overreach and taxation, raising hopes that some of the duties may be rolled back.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who attended the arguments on Wednesday, has said that the administration would switch to other tariff authorities if the court does not rule in its favor.
'The White House is always preparing for Plan B,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said ahead of the hearing.
President Trump called the case 'one of the most important cases in the history of our country', adding it would be 'devastating' for the country if the administration lost the case.
In economic news, U.S. jobless claims data and the Bank of England's interest rate decision will be in the spotlight later in the day. The central bank is likely to keep interest rates unchanged in a closely contested decision before the chancellor's Budget.
Asian markets traded higher after two days of declines. Gold edged up toward $4,000 per ounce as the dollar dipped from recent peaks and investors pondered the outlook for the Fed's interest-rate path.
Fed Governor Stephen Miran described the latest ADP report revealing an increase in employment at companies as 'a welcome surprise,' but reiterated rates need to be lower.
Oil ticked higher after falling more than 1 percent on Wednesday to settle at a two-week low on concerns of a possible global oil glut.
Overnight, U.S. stocks fluctuated before closing higher. ADP said private sector employment climbed by 42,000 jobs in October after slipping by a revised 29,000 jobs in September.
Economists had expected private sector employment to rise by 25,000 jobs compared to the loss of 32,000 jobs originally reported for the previous month.
The Institute for Supply Management released a report that showed U.S. service sector activity expanded at the fastest pace in eight months amid a surge in new orders.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite surged 0.7 percent, boosted by a rebound in artificial intelligence-linked stocks, including Advanced Micro Devices. The Dow gained half a percent and the S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent.
European stocks recovered after a weak start to close higher on Wednesday. The pan-European Stoxx 600 inched up 0.2 percent.
The German DAX rose 0.4 percent, France's CAC 40 inched up marginally and the U.K.'s FTSE added 0.6 percent.
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