Investors were wary of making big equity bets at the start of a week packed with major central bank policy decisions and corporate earnings. In Europe, advance readings of the Purchasing Managers' Indexes showed the private-sector economy contracted more than anticipated in July in the euro area and slowed sharply in Britain.
“Markets have entered a phase of anxious waiting, with two factors coming into play, central banks and earnings,” said Jeanne Asseraf-Bitton, head of research and strategy at BFT IM. “I'm not sure there will be a lot of surprises coming from the central banks so it's really earnings that will be key. Valuations are expensive so earnings need to hold, margins need to hold.”
In equity markets, Europe's Stoxx 600 equity gauge traded modestly firmer, though Spanish equities underperformed after an inconclusive outcome in the election on Sunday. U.S. stock-index futures posted modest gains.