EUROPE IN THE RED, BUT OIL STOCKS FLY (0921 GMT) The STOXX 600 is down 0.6%, wiping out its weekly gain and now on track for a five-day loss of 0.2%.
Oil is pretty much the only sector trading higher, and by quite a high margin, with the oil and gas stocks index up 1.4%.
BP is providing a big boost, as shares rise 2.8% to their highest since April 2019.
But it is Swedish defence equipment maker Saab that tops the index, with shares soaring 8.8% after reporting a rise in fourth-quarter operating profit.
Retail names meanwhile are struggling, down 2.1%, and weighed down by Zalando - down 3.1% - and Zara owner Inditex - down 2.9%.
Here is your opening snapshot:
(Lucy Raitano)
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EUROPEAN FUTURES SIGNAL DECLINES (0740 GMT)
European futures are flashing red this morning, with the STOXX 600 looking poised to lose around 0.5% at the open and just about wipe out the 0.3% gain so far this week.
It's not even 8am, and there's already talk that the Bank of Japan is set to appoint its next governor, while the UK has managed to dodge a recession. FTSE futures seem to be enjoying the latter, outperforming the rest of Europe so far, though still down 0.3%.
Elsewhere, the oil bonanza continues, with Norwegian independent oil firm Aker BP saying it will boost its dividend by 10% after posting $2.2 billion operating profit for the
final quarter of 2022.
Swedish defence equipment maker Saab also reported a fourth-quarter operating
profit, while Zara owner Inditex has reached an agreement to raise salaries in its Spanish
stores by an average 20%.
(Lucy Raitano)
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