LIVE MARKETS-Europe before the bell: futures lower as Trump flip-flops on tariffs

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EUROPE BEFORE THE BELL: FUTURES LOWER AS TRUMP FLIP-FLOPS ON TARIFFS

European equity futures are lower, heading towards the end of another roller-coaster week, but there's a key jobs report followed by Fed Chair Powell later on.

Focus remains on Trump's tariffs and trade policy. On Thursday, he suspended tariffs of 25% that he had imposed this week on most goods from Canada and Mexico.

"With this being a delay, rather than a lasting exemption, and with reciprocal tariffs also expected to be announced after April 2, this leaves plenty of lingering tariff uncertainty," writes Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid.

Stocks are set for a soft open. Euro STOXX 50 futures STXEc1 are down 0.7%, while futures in Frankfurt FDXc1, Paris FCEc1 and London FFIc1 are down 0.3%-1.1%.

Equities on Wall Street sank on Thursday with the Nasdaq ending 10% lower than its December peak, confirming a correction, although U.S. futures are up slightly on Friday.

Looking ahead, focus is on the U.S. jobs report, with nonfarm payrolls forecast to have increased by 160,000 in February, a slight uptick from the month before in what is the first report under President Trump's watch.

(Samuel Indyk)

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