European Shares Seen Tad Lower After Mixed China Data

(RTTNews) - European stocks look set to open a tad lower on Friday as mixed Chinese data released earlier today coupled with the lack of concrete stimulus details stirred concerns about the country's economic trajectory.

Data showed today that China's economy grew 4.6 percent in Q3, slowing from 4.7 percent annual growth in the previous quarter and falling below the official 5 percent target for 2024.

Industrial production and retail sales grew more than expected in September, but new home prices fell at the fastest pace since May 2015, underscoring weakness in the housing sector.

Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions persist after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was killed during an operation by Israeli soldiers in the Palestinian enclave on Wednesday.

Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group said today it was moving to a new and escalating phase in its war against Israel while Iran said "the spirit of resistance will be strengthened".

Tech stocks could be in focus today after Netflix posted third-quarter earnings that beat on the top and bottom lines.

Asian stocks traded mixed, with Chinese and Hong Kong markets leading regional gains on hopes that policymakers will unveil more stimulus to boost growth in the world's second-largest economy.

The dollar steadied at more than two-month highs and gold climbed above the $2,700 per ounce mark to reach a fresh record high, while oil edged up slightly after a U.S. crude stockpile draw.

U.S. stocks ended mixed overnight as TSMC handily beat estimates for Q3 and investors trimmed their bets on Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts this year.

U.S. retail sales increased slightly more than expected in September and jobless claims fell unexpectedly last week while industrial production decreased in September, reversing output growth in August, separate set of data showed.

The Dow rose 0.4 percent to its fourth record close in the last five sessions and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite finished marginally higher while the S&P 500 ended flat with a negative bias.

European stocks closed higher on Thursday as investors cheered upbeat corporate earnings and the ECB's interest-rate cut for the third time this year, citing slowing inflation in the region and sluggish economic growth.

ECB President Christine Lagarde refused to pre-commit an easing in December, instead stressed on the data-dependency approach.

The pan-European STOXX 600 advanced 0.8 percent. The German DAX climbed 0.8 percent, France's CAC 40 rallied 1.2 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 added 0.7 percent.