Economic calendar: Conference Board data, speeches from Bailey and Lagarde

• European markets set for higher opening

• CB consumer confidence index, API report on oil stocks

• Speeches from ECB and BoE heads

Futures markets are pointing to a slightly higher opening of the European cash session today. Futures on major European blue chips indices trade around 0.5% higher at press time. DAX futures climbed above yesterday's daily highs and trade firmly above 15,300 pts mark. Overall, financial markets look calm this morning and no outsized moves can be spotted. Cryptocurrencies are trading mixed, energy commodities are trading slightly higher and precious metals drop. AUD and NZD are the best performing major currencies while CHF and USD lag the most.

Economic calendar for the day ahead is rather light. Traders will be offered goods trade balance data from the United States for February as well as Conference Board consumer confidence index for March. Oil traders will tune in in the evening for the release of API report on US oil inventories.There is a number of central bankers' speeches scheduled for today, including speeches from BoE Governor Bailey (9:45 am BST) and ECB President Lagarde (2:15 pm BST).

1:00 pm BST - Hungarian National Bank rate decision

1:30 pm BST - US, goods trade balance for February. Expected: -$90.9 billion. Expected: -$91.1 billion

3:00 pm BST - US, Conference Board consumer confidence index for March. Expected: 101.0. Previous: 102.9

3:00 pm BST - US, Richmond manufacturing index for March. Expected: -10.0. Previous: -16.0

9:40 pm BST - API report on US oil inventories. Expected: 0.2 mb. Previous: 3.26 mb

Central bankers' speeches

• 8:35 am BST - ECB Enria

• 9:45 am BST - BoE Governor Bailey

• 8:45 am BST - BoE Ramsden

• 2:15 pm BST - ECB President Lagarde

• 3:00 pm BST - Fed Barr