(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 27 apr - European share prices opened slightly higher, as investors braced for a week packed with crucial central bank meetings and weighed shifting geopolitical signals from the Middle East.

Market participants are preparing for the Bank of Japan's policy decision on Tuesday, followed by the Federal Reserve on Wednesday. This meeting marks the final official press conference for Fed Chair Jerome Powell, with Kevin Warsh expected to take the helm by mid-June. Decisions on interest rates from both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England will follow on Thursday.

Sentiment is also being shaped by the complex diplomatic stasis between Washington and Tehran. While reports suggest Iran has presented a new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the conflict, deferring nuclear talks to a later stage, president Donald Trump has cancelled plans to send senior envoys for a second round of negotiations. Trump noted that any further contact could happen by phone, while Tehran reiterated it would not engage under the pressure of a blockade.

On the data front, consumer confidence in Germany fell to -33.3% for May from a revised -28.1% in April, marking its lowest level since February 2023.

Investors are also preparing for a busy corporate earnings calendar and key growth data, with GDP figures from the Eurozone and the US expected on Thursday alongside preliminary Eurozone inflation data for April.

At 0727 GMT, London's FTSE 100 was up 0.06% at 10,385.60 points, while in Frankfurt the DAX edged up 0.34% at 24,222.00 points and in Paris the CAC 40 rose 0.25% at 8,177.89 points. Milan's FTSE MIB gained 0.24% at 47,771.50 points while in Madrid the IBEX 35 was 0.32% higher at.

17,749.26 points.

(RADIOCOR) 27-04-26 09:38:40 (0150) 5 NNNN