European stocks set to open mixed with earnings due from Nestle, Airbus

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Nestle Coffee-Mate is sold on a store’s shelves on February 18, 2016 in New York City.

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LONDON — European stocks are expected to open in mixed territory on Thursday as investors await further earnings reports.

The U.K.'s FTSE index is seen opening 0.15% higher, Germany’s DAX down 0.25%, France’s CAC 40 down 0.15% and Italy’s FTSE MIB slightly below the flatline, according to data from IG.

It’s another busy day of earnings Thursday with Nestle, Rio Tinto and Zurich Insurance among the European companies reporting.

Airbus said Thursday it expects to deliver 870 commercial aircraft in 2026, slightly fewer than the roughly 880 analysts had expected. It comes as pressure is building for the European planemaker, with U.S. rival Boeing showing signs of recovery after years of crisis, which has benefited Airbus.

Global market sentiment is also in focus; U.S. stock futures traded near the flatline Wednesday night after the major averages posted a winning session Wednesday, buoyed by gains across the “Magnificent Seven” technology stocks and strength in financials and energy names.

Investors stateside also weighed minutes from the Federal Reserve’s January meeting, which reflected a divide among central bank officials on the future outlook for monetary policy.

Oil prices rose by more than 4% yesterday after U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that Iran did not address core U.S. demands in nuclear talks this week. He said that President Donald Trump maintains the right to use military force if diplomatic efforts do not stop Iran’s nuclear program.

In Asia-Pacific markets overnight, stocks traded higher, with several bourses in the region returning from the Lunar New Year holiday.

— CNBC’s Pia Singh contributed to this market report.