European markets head for higher open as traders track Greenland, Iran news

LONDON - European stocks are expected to open broadly higher Thursday as traders digest the latest geopolitical news around Greenland and Iran. The U.K.'s FTSE index is seen opening 0.6% higher, Germany's DAX up 0.18%, France's CAC 40 up 0.2%, and Italy's FTSE MIB o.34% higher, according to data from IG. Regional investors will be assessing the outcome of a high-stakes meeting between senior officials from the U.S., Denmark and Greenland on Wednesday to discuss the ownership of the Arctic island. U.S. President Donald Trump's sees the semi-autonomous Danish territory as critical for national security and has threatened to seize it by force, if necessary. A meeting at the White House between officials from Greenland, Denmark, and the U.S. Wednesday ended with "fundamental disagreement" over the ownership of the island, a Danish official said following the meeting, but that both sides would continue to talk. Ahead of the talks, Trump doubled down on acquiring the territory, stating on social media that anything less than Greenland becoming a part of the United States was "unacceptable." Read more Iran is also being closely watched after Trump threatened military action against the Islamic Republic if it executed protestors arrested during a violent crackdown on demonstrations around the country. Trump appeared to soften his tone Wednesday night, however, saying he had been assured that executions had stopped and that he would "watch it and see" regarding potential military action. Iran reopened its airspace early Thursday after a temporary closure barred most incoming and outgoing flights. Earnings came from Richemont before the bell on Thursday. The luxury goods conglomerate, which owns a bevy of brands such as Cartier, reported a third-quarter sales increase of 4% year-on-year to 6.4 billion euros ($7.4 billion). Third-quarter sales jumped 11% at constant exchange rates. It posted strong growth in most markets, notably in the U.K. and Italy. Data releases include U.K. GDP data for November, Spanish and French inflation figures, and EU trade balance data.

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