European markets are expected to open in different directions on Thursday, amid a light holiday-week of trade seen across markets worldwide.

On the bourses front, the U.K.’s FTSE 100 is expected to open 15 points higher at 7,626, while the German DAX is set to open 15 points lower at 13,063 and the French CAC off 5 points at 5,364, according to IG.

Trade is expected to be relatively lighter than usual on Thursday, as markets across the globe try and get back to business amid the break between the holidays and New Year.

European trade is expected to be influenced somewhat by the moves in overseas markets, with Asian-Pacific trade indicating a mixed to positive session. Meantime in the States, markets finished the previous session slightly higher on the back of gains in the real estate and utilities sectors.

In commodity markets, oil prices were in focus after crude futures hit a more than two-year high earlier on this week. Prices were edging slightly higher on Thursday, with Brent trading above $66.50 and U.S crude hovering close to the $60 mark.

Elsewhere, investors will be paying close attention to bitcoin, as it continues to post big swings.

On Thursday, the Confederation of British Industry issued its latest growth indicator survey which showed that U.K. companies had reported a pickup in growth in fourth quarter leading into December. However the lobby group added that early next year there could be a slowdown as high inflation impacts households.

In individual stocks news, Airbus is reportedly putting together contingency plans to axe production of the A380 superjumbo if it fails to win a key order from Dubai’s Emirates, Reuters has reported citing three people familiar with the matter.

Meantime, Barclays issued a statement on Wednesday, saying it expected to take a writedown of around 1 billion pounds ($1.34 billion) on its annual post-tax profit on the back of the tax reform taking place in the U.S.

After President Donald Trump signed a $1.5 trillion tax bill into law last Friday, designed to cut tax rates for both individuals and companies, investors will be paying close attention as to how the tax developments will affect market sentiment.

No major data or earnings are expected to be released during the trading day.