(Reuters) -The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were set to open lower on Thursday, following mixed earnings from a slew of Wall Street lenders on the last day of a holiday-shortened week, while Twitter shares jumped after billionaire Elon Musk's takeover offer.

LONDON (Reuters) -Europe's single currency and government bond yields across the region fell on Thursday after the European Central Bank signalled a steady reduction of stimulus over the coming months but refrained from switching to a more hawkish stance.

European shares rose on Thursday as the central bank kept its policy stance largely unchanged and signalled a steady reduction of stimulus over the coming months, spurring money markets to trim rate hike bets for the year.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -The European Central Bank kept its policy stance broadly unchanged on Thursday, sticking to plans to slowly unwind extraordinary stimulus as worries over record-high inflation trump concerns about a war-related recession.

(Reuters) -UnitedHealth Group Inc on Thursday raised its profit forecast for the year after reporting a quarterly profit that beat analysts' estimates, helped by growth at its Optum healthcare services unit.

(Reuters) -Wells Fargo & Co's first-quarter profit dropped 21% but beat Wall Street expectations on Thursday as top boss Charlie Scharf plans to keep a tight rein on costs cushioned a drop in mortgage lending.