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EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: BUILDING MOMENTUM

Markets on Thursday looked to build momentum and rise for the second day in a row as the tech and AI trade excited investors, while a high-stakes U.S.-China summit provided few surprises, at least for now.

But details were still sparse, leaving investors alert to any potential news from the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping.

The war in the Middle East is widely expected to be a key topic at the summit, as stalled peace talks have created much uncertainty.

Euro STOXX 50 futures STXEc1 were last up 0.9%, while DAX FDXc1, FTSE FFIC1 and CAC FCEc1 futures were between 0.4% and 0.8% higher.

Earnings season also rumbled on.

Burberry BRBY.L reported higher fourth-quarter sales on Thursday, while Poland's biggest e-commerce platform Allegro ALEP.WA raised the 2026 outlook for its international business.

(Sophie Kiderlin)

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