The FTSE 100 is expected to open slightly higher on Thursday, with traders eyeing a flood of major corporate results that could inject some momentum into early trading.
On the futures market, the London benchmark was initially forecast to edge up by one point, though sentiment improved slightly, lifting expectations to a nine-point gain ahead of the open.
The outlook follows a strong rebound on Wednesday, when the FTSE 100 rose 62 points to 9,777.08, reversing earlier losses as investor sentiment stabilised across global markets.
Overnight in the U.S., equities climbed for a second session, with dip-buying and upbeat jobs data helping to lift confidence after Tuesday’s AI-driven sell-off. The Nasdaq rose 0.7%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.5%, and the S&P 500 gained 0.4%.
However, sentiment was tempered by ongoing political uncertainty as the U.S. government shutdown entered its 36th day, now the longest in American history, with economists estimating it is costing the economy about $15 billion a week.
In London, attention will turn to a heavy slate of earnings updates from major corporates including AstraZeneca, BT, Sainsbury’s, Diageo, ITV, National Grid, Smith & Nephew, Tate & Lyle, Wise, Vistry, and Howden Joinery.
