Tuesday 08 April 2014 2:45 am

What you need to know before the open

A lower open for European markets this morning, as they continue the sell-off seen yesterday.

With first quarter earnings season beginning in the US, stocks have seen some sharp declines.

Although some European companies have been affected, markets will remain safely above their recent range lows.

Having said that, ongoing tension over Ukraine remains in the minds of investors worldwide.

Over in Asia, markets have kept their nerve after the Bank of Japan announced it wouldn’t be introducing further economic stimulus.

Data from the UK is in focus today, with expectations that recovery in sentiment and economic activity will have continued.

Corporate news

Former Barclays chief Bob Diamond has hired Barclays veteran John Vitalo to run his new African banking venture, Atlas Mara, reports the FT.

Samsung Electronics has forecast a fall in profit for the second quarter in a row. The world’s biggest mobile phone and TV maker has said it expects operating profits to be down four per cent from last year, to 8.4 trillion won (£4.8bn).

Hi-tech plastics company Victrex has reported robust trading for the first half of its financial year, with group sales up 14 per cent.

French computer services groups Sopra and Steria have said they’ve agreed to merge.

And Iron ore producer Ferrexpo has said its pellet production, from its own ore, is up 9.2 per cent for the first quarter of this year, compared to a year earlier.

Data in focus