BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks are likely to open on a
steady note Tuesday after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq scored record closing highs
overnight, led by gains in the technology sector on enthusiasm over artificial
intelligence.

Amid signs of easing inflation in the United States, investors await more U.S.
economic data and Federal Reserve officials' speeches this week for additional
clues on the Fed's rate trajectory.

Trading later in the day may be impacted by reaction to the U.S. economic
reports on retail sales and industrial production.

Closer home, Eurozone final inflation data and Germany's ZEW economic confidence
survey results may garner investor attention later in the session.

Central banks in Norway, the U.K., and Switzerland are holding meetings this
week. Norway and the U.K. are likely to keep their interest rates unchanged,
while the Swiss National Bank is likely to cut rates by another 25 basis points.

U.K. inflation figures will be more closely watched than usual on Wednesday.

Asian markets followed Wall Street higher as Fed rate cuts gathered momentum.

Patrick Harker, the president of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve, said on
Monday that one reduction in interest rates 'would be appropriate by year's end'
based on the current trajectory of inflation and the U.S. economy.

The Reserve Bank of Australia chose to keep the official cash rate steady at
4.35 percent today but cautioned that 'inflation remains above target and is
proving persistent'.

Elsewhere, Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda said the central bank could raise
interest rates next month.

China's commerce ministry has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into
imported pork and its by-products from the European Union in response to the
European Commission's decision to impose tariffs on imported Chinese electric
cars starting from July.

The dollar traded weak and U.S. Treasury yields softened, helping gold push
higher.

Oil prices built on recent gains, thanks to improved demand outlook and investor
confidence that OPEC+ might reconsider plans to increase oil supplies in the
latter part of the year.

U.S. stocks closed higher overnight as investors awaited a slew of economic data
and comments from Federal Reserve officials later in the week.

Treasury yields climbed after data showed manufacturing activity in the New York
region contracted at a notably slower rate in June, with optimism about the
six-month outlook for business activity reaching a more than two-year high.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 gained 1 percent and 0.8
percent, respectively to reach new record closing highs amid continued momentum
for big tech stocks. The Dow edged up half a percent.

European stocks closed mostly higher on Monday after enduring their worst week
since October amid political turmoil in France.

The pan European STOXX 600 ended flat with a positive bias. The German DAX rose
0.4 percent and France's CAC 40 added 0.9 percent while the U.K.'s FTSE 100
ended marginally lower.



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