European Shares Seen Slightly Higher Ahead Of BoE Rate Decision

(RTTNews) - European stocks may see modest gains at open om Thursday as investors react to solid Chinese trade data.

China's imports climbed 8.4 percent in April to beat estimates while exports grew 1.5 percent year-on-year in U.S. dollar terms, matching expectations.

Elsewhere, inflation -adjusted real wages in Japan fell 2.5 percent year on year in March, marking a 24th straight month of decline.

Asian stocks traded mixed, with Chinese and Hong Kong markets rising after the release of trade data.

The yen steadied as Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda told parliament that sharp, one-sided yen falls are negative for the economy and therefore undesirable.

Gold treaded water ahead of U.S. CPI data due next week while oil extended overnight gains following mixed inventory data.

Investors awaited more clarity on a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with U.S. President Joe Biden warning that weapon transfers will stop if Israel invades overcrowded Rafah.

Later in the day, the Bank of England is set to keep its interest rate at a 16-year high against the backdrop of persistently high inflation.

The latest economic forecast to be unveiled alongside the interest rate announcement may shed light on future inflation trends and the trajectory of the U.K. economy.

Across the Atlantic, the Labour Department's report on initial jobless claims along with the latest earnings news may garner investor attention.

U.S. stocks ended mixed overnight as Treasury yields rose after a 10-year notes auction.

The Dow inched up 0.4 percent to extend gains for a sixth consecutive session and close above 39,000 points for the first time in five weeks.

The S&P 500 finished marginally lower and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite eased 0.2 percent.

European stocks rose for a fourth straight session on Wednesday as Sweden's central bank cut interest rates for the first time in eight years and signalled two more rate reductions during the second half of the year.

The pan European STOXX 600 gained 0.3 percent. The German DAX edged up 0.4 percent, France's CAC 40 added 0.7 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 rose half a percent.