European markets opened lower on Thursday, with investors positioning themselves ahead of a number of indicators that could prompt them to reassess their economic outlook for the coming year.

In Paris, the CAC 40 was down 0.33% at 7,558.22 points around 08:20 GMT. In Frankfurt, the Dax lost 0.23%, compared with 0.36% for the FTSE in London.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index fell by 0.36%, the EuroStoxx 50 by 0.26% and the Stoxx 600

by 0.31%.

Futures on New York indices suggest that Wall Street will open higher, with the Dow Jones gaining 0.37%, compared with 0.51% for the Standard & Poor's 500 and 0.65% for the Nasdaq.

On Thursday, investors await the weekly US jobless claims, the final US GDP for the third quarter and the Philly Fed activity index, to be released at 13:30 GMT.

France's consumer confidence index and producer prices will be published on Friday, along with UK GDP for the third quarter and, above all, PCE inflation, the indicator of price dynamics on which the Federal Reserve bases its monetary policy decisions.

Investors will be relying on these elements, the last significant data expected in 2023, to assess the trajectory of developed economies and rates next year.

On the value side, AXA advanced 0.65%, among the best performers on the CAC 40, after concluding a reinsurance agreement for a life insurance portfolio held by its subsidiary Axa France, the operational impact of which will be offset by a 500 million euro share buyback. (Written by Corentin Chappron, edited by Blandine Hénault)