European equity markets were set to open lower on Friday as investors turned cautious ahead of a potential US-EU trade agreement. US and EU officials are reportedly edging closer to a trade agreement that would introduce a 15% tariff on most European goods. Traders are also bracing for a busy day of corporate earnings, with key reports due from AON, NatWest, Eni, Volkswagen, and Bureau Veritas. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank held interest rates steady on Thursday, as expected, and noted that disinflation is progressing in line with its projections. In premarket trade, futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 were both down around 0.2%, signaling a weaker start to the session.