London’s blue-chip index is expected to edge higher at the open, with futures pointing to a gain of around 15 points after the FTSE 100 slipped nearly 27 points to finish at 10,314.59 in the previous session.
US markets closed lower on Tuesday, and technology stocks came under pressure. The Nasdaq slid 1.4%, the S&P 500 fell 0.8%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average eased 0.3% as most of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” tech giants moved lower.
Sterling strengthened slightly, trading at $1.3719 on Wednesday morning compared with $1.3695 at the London close on Tuesday. The euro was also firmer at $1.1832 from $1.1818, while the dollar rose against the yen to ¥156.33 from ¥155.73.
Asian markets were mixed this morning. Japan’s Nikkei pulled back from recent highs, while Chinese and Hong Kong equities traded higher.
Gold prices moved higher, trading at $5,075.60 an ounce early on Wednesday compared with $4,971.16 late on Tuesday.
Brent crude oil was also firmer, rising to $67.74 a barrel from $67.15 on Tuesday.
