- European stock markets traded sharply higher Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled rate cuts to come next year, ahead of policy meetings from the European Central Bank and the Bank of England. 

At 03:10 ET (08:10 GMT), the in Germany traded 1.3% higher, the in France traded up 1.4% and the in the U.K. rose 1.7%.

ECB, BOE to follow Fed’s lead?

European equities have followed gains on Wall Street, with the benchmark closing at a record high, as well as in Asia overnight.

This followed the concluding its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, keeping interest rates unchanged as widely expected. 

However, risk sentiment received a boost after the policymakers penciled in at least three rate cuts next year, prompting the to fall below 4% for the first time in four months.

Back in Europe, the , the , the and all meet on Thursday, and steady outcomes are widely expected.

The ECB meeting will be in particular focus given that inflation has slowed sharply in the region, prompting the central bank’s leading hawk Isabel Schnabel to take further rate hikes off the table in an interview earlier this month.

Influential investment bank Goldman Sachs now expects the ECB to cut interest rates by 25 basis points in each meeting starting April next year, with the benchmark deposit rate reaching 2.25% by early 2025 from the current rate of 4%.

EU summit on Ukraine

Aside from the central bank meetings, investors are likely to keep an eye on the summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, starting later Thursday.

The gathering is aimed at providing support for Ukraine, potentially offering both the start of EU membership talks and E50 billion euros in financial aid, if opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban can be overcome.

The summit comes at an important time for Ukraine, with the Biden administration so far unable to get a $60 billion aid package through Congress and the war versus Russia heading into brutal winter fighting.

Crude rises after inventories draw

Oil prices rose Thursday after a bigger-than-expected weekly draw from storage, as well as a boost from the dovish Fed stance.

By 03:10 ET, the U.S. crude futures traded 0.8% higher at $70.03 a barrel, while the contract climbed 0.9% to $74.89 a barrel. 

U.S. oil inventories fell by 4.3 million barrels in the week to Dec. 8, according to data from the , released Wednesday, much more than 650,000 barrels expected.

However, this draw comes on the heels of several consecutive weeks of strong builds, which could signal waning winter demand. 

Additionally, rose 2.7% to $2,050.55/oz, while traded 0.1% higher at 1.0888.