Economic calendar: US survey data, mega-cap earnings

• European markets seen opening flat

• CB consumer confidence data for September

• Earnings reports from Microsoft and Alphabet

European index futures are trading little change on the day, signalling a more or less flat opening to the cash session on the Old Continent today. Commodities like precious metals and industrial metals are pulling back on USD strengthening. Meanwhile, energy commodities hold ground with oil trading flat and natural gas posting small gains.

Economic calendar for the upcoming European session is empty so traders should bear in mind that markets may be more prone to move on headline news. Things get a bit more interesting in the afternoon with the release of Conference Board consumer confidence data for October and API estimates on oil inventories. However, earnings releases look to be the most interesting event of the day. Investors will be offered financials from Microsoft, Alphabet, Twitter or Advanced Micro Devices, among others.

3:00 pm BST - US, new home sales for September. Expected: 755k. Previous: 740k

3:00 pm BST - US, Conference Board consumer confidence for October. Expected: 108.9. Previous: 109.3

9:40 pm BST - API report on oil inventories. Expected: +0.5 mb. Previous: +3.29 mb

US earnings releases

• Microsoft (MSFT.US) - after market close

• Alphabet (GOOGL.US) - after market close

• Visa (V.US) - after market close

• Eli Lilly (LLY.US) - before market open

• Novartis (NVS.US) - before market open

• Texas Instruments (TXN.US) - after market close

• United Parcel Service (UPS.US) - before market open

• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.US) - after market close

• Raytheon Technologies (RTX.US) - before market open

• General Electric (GE.US) - before market open

• 3M (MMM.US) - before market open

• Lockheed Martin (LMT.US) - before market open

• Twitter (TWTR.US) - after market close

• Robinhood (HOOD.US) - after market close