Europe's stock markets will hold steady ahead of Federal Reserve interest rate move but strategists said the focus will be on whether the US central bank says it intends to tighten more than anticipated.
"All financial markets are prepared for the rise but there is absolutely no consensus on the extent of the monetary policy tightening and this is going to be a key factor," said Alain Bokobza, European equity strategist at SG Securities in Paris.
The Fed is expected to raise rates by 25 basis points.
Investors fear that the Fed's goal of cooling rising inflationary pressures will undermine the global economy and corporate profits.
Markets have been trading in a tight range for four months, caught between the opposing forces of a turn in the interest rate cycle and strengthening earnings growth.
The FTSE Eurotop 300 index of pan-European blue chips was flat at 1,004 points by mid-morning on Friday, and has traded between 952 and 1,031 since February.
Investors plan to give Royal Dutch/Shell managers a grilling on Monday at the Anglo-Dutch group's annual shareholder meeting.
They want to see clearer reporting lines and a simpler management structure at the world's third largest oil company.
Czech drug-maker Zentiva lists on the Prague bourse on Monday after investors flocked to the country's first ever public share floatation, which was priced at the top end of expectations.
Speculation that the US central bank may hike the benchmark borrowing rate by 50 basis points has faded but equity and bond markets are still fretting about inflation fuelled by record high and volatile oil prices amid violence in Iraq.
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