LIVE MARKETS-Morning call: Sentiment still positive on lockdown easing

* European futures in positive territory

* Crude oil prices jump

* Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters. You can share your thoughts with Thyagaraju Adinarayan (thyagaraju.adinarayan@thomsonreuters.com), Joice Alves (joice.alves@thomsonreuters.com) and Julien Ponthus (julien.ponthus@thomsonreuters.com) in London and Stefano Rebaudo (stefano.rebaudo@thomsonreuters.com) in Milan.

MORNING CALL: SENTIMENT STILL POSITIVE ON LOCKDOWN EASING (0537 GMT)

Futures are slightly higher as sentiment is still positive but European equities seem set to pause for a breather after a two-day rally fuelled by the prospect of lockdowns being gradually eased across the continent.

Expectations of massive stimulus from governments and central banks coupled with a better outlook about the pandemic are propping up the market.

Wall Street and Europe’s volatility indexes are comfortably below 40, as in March 2009, when the last bull market began, after the global financial crisis.

Crude futures jumped on expectations of a demand increase and after U.S. inventories grew less than expected in the week to April 24.

(Stefano Rebaudo)

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(Reporting by Thyagaraju Adinarayan, Joice Alves, Julien Ponthus in London and Stefano Rebaudo in Milan)