The FTSE 100 slipped on Wednesday as investors digested fresh inflation data that showed UK price growth eased last month — but not by as much as hoped.
The UK’s blue-chip index fell 0.2pc, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 edged 0.2pc higher after the inflation slowdown strengthened expectations that the Bank of England could cut interest rates as soon as next month.
But the FTSE 100 was also weighed down by mounting nerves on Wall Street ahead of Nvidia’s third-quarter results, due after the closing bell. The update is widely viewed as a make-or-break moment for the AI-driven rally that has propelled global markets to record highs this year.
Investor jitters reflect growing concern that companies may be ploughing too much capital into AI infrastructure long before the returns materialise. The S&P 500 has already fallen 1.5pc this week, while the Nasdaq Composite is down 1.9pc.
Analysts at Société Générale said Nvidia’s earnings arrive “at a juncture of increased fragility over the outlook, with valuations under pressure as we move closer to year end.”
US stocks edge higher as investors brace for make-or-break Nvidia results
Wall Street opened with a cautiously positive tone on Wednesday as traders positioned themselves ahead of Nvidia’s highly anticipated earnings report — a release that could set the direction for global markets.
-
Dow Jones Industrial Average opened broadly flat at 46,093.39
-
S&P 500 inched up 0.06% to 6,621.29
-
Nasdaq Composite opened 0.14% higher at 22,463.07
The early gains reflect a tentative stabilisation after several days of tech-led volatility, with Nvidia’s results later today expected to be a defining moment for the AI-fuelled market rally.
