According to the performance on the futures markets, the Dax will hardly move at the start of trading on Thursday.

On Wednesday, it closed little changed at 20,329.94 points. There was no buying mood on Wall Street either. Inconsistent economic data and concerns about the trade policy of the future US President Donald Trump caused investors on both sides of the Atlantic to hold back. The US stock market will remain closed on Thursday in memory of former US President Jimmy Carter. The Democrat died on December 29 at the age of 100.

After the recent weak order figures, stock market players in this country are waiting for data on German industrial production during the course of the day. Economists surveyed by the Reuters news agency predict growth of half a percent in November compared to the previous month. In September and October, production was cut back in each month. In addition, the German foreign trade report for November is on the agenda.

In the late afternoon, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will announce how many aircraft it delivered to customers last year. Industry sources have already revealed that the company only just missed its target of "around 770" aircraft with a last-ditch effort at the end of the year.

Closing prices of European stocks as of December 31, 2007

stock indices and the

futures on Wednesday

Dax 20,329.94

EuroStoxx50 4,996.39

EuroStoxx50 future 5,010.00

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Closing prices of the previous trading day. Change in

US indices on Wednesday in percent

Dow Jones 42,635.20 +0.3%

Nasdaq:

S&P 500 5,918.25 +0.2%

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Asian indices at 07:00 Change in

Thursday:

Thursday at 7:00 a.m. in percent

Nikkei 39,571.99 -1.0%

Shanghai 3,212.86 -0.5%

Hang Seng 19,264.78 -0.1%

(Report by Zuzanna Szymanska and Daniela Pegna. If you have any questions, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and the economy) or frankfurt.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for companies and markets).)