Global stocks were stalling today as investors – as usual – await some news on the China-U. S. trade talks ahead of the December 15 deadline. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Stoxx Europe 600 index were both flat.

Economic and political news is back at the center of the game today, the day after the Fed decided to maintain the status quo on its rates. The US central bank remains confident about the economic outlook, suggesting that there will be no action on rates in 2020 if the backdrop remains as stable. Reassuring as several events are looming this Thursday:

In the UK, people are voting today, and if the many polls are credible, Boris Johnson should prevail over Jeremy Corbyn, which will give him some latitude to carry out Brexit under the conditions he has chosen. Polling stations will be open from 07:00 to 22:00 local time. Exit polls will be available in the meantime, but the refined results will not be announced until tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Christine Lagarde will head her first monetary policy committee at the European Central Bank. There will probably be no smashing announcements, but the former IMF boss will have the opportunity to set the tone of her mandate at her first presentation conference, which will be widely discussed by the financial community. It is expected that she will be looking for a consensus between all partners, and should not ease monetary policy further.

Some rumors about trade talks: decisive contacts will take place today between American and Chinese officials to determine whether Washington's new tariffs scheduled for December 15 will come into effect.

Finally, there was no rate cuts for the Swiss central bank, which has decided to keep its key interest rate and the deposit rate both at 0.75%. This policy is aimed in particular at easing the pressure on an already "highly appreciated" Swiss franc, according to the SNB. Since 2015, the deposit rate has remained the same.

Today, investors will be focusing on the final inflation data for Germany and France, industrial production in the euro zone, the European Central Bank, as well as producer prices and weekly unemployment registrations in the US. This morning, Brazil reduced its rates.