Thursday 08:40 BST. European equities are climbing to fresh seven-year highs after a mixed Asian session, while the dollar is firmer as corporate profits, Federal Reserve policy and a remarkable surge in Hong Kong stocks dominate investor thinking.
The FTSE Eurofirst 300 is up 0.5 per cent at the open, on course for its best close since July 2007, in the wake of a positive Wednesday on Wall Street. US index futures suggest the S&P 500 will start the new session with 2 point dip to 2,080.
Not helping sentiment in the US is a poorly received start to the first-quarter earnings season. Analysts have been sharply chopping back expectations for profits following signs that the US economy faltered in recent months and on concerns the strong dollar would hit earnings.