European markets head for lackluster open as traders assess U.S.-China talks

Group 1: U.S.-China Trade Talks - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are engaged in trade and economic discussions in Madrid, Spain [1] - U.S. President Donald Trump indicated that the U.S.-China trade negotiations are progressing well, which has influenced market expectations [2] - A "framework" deal regarding the divestment of Chinese-owned TikTok was announced, with commercial specifics already settled [3] Group 2: Market Reactions - European stocks showed mixed signals ahead of the market open, with the U.K.'s FTSE and Germany's DAX expected to open slightly higher, while France's CAC 40 and Italy's FTSE MIB are projected to open lower [2] - Japan's Nikkei 225 index surpassed the 45,000 mark for the first time, indicating strong performance in the Asia-Pacific markets [4] Group 3: Economic Indicators - In the U.S., S&P 500 futures remained flat as the Senate confirmed Trump's Federal Reserve pick, Stephen Miran, ahead of a central bank meeting on interest rates [5] - Upcoming European economic data includes U.K. unemployment figures, Italian inflation, EU industrial production data, and German economic sentiment readings [5]