{"id":140273,"title":"FTSE 100 Ends Flat as Strong US Jobs Report Revives Fed Rate Hike Bets","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2026-09-04T16:52:27+00:00","modified":"2026-09-04T16:52:27+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/ftse-100-ends-flat-as-strong-us-jobs-report-revives-fed-rate-hike-bets/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/ftse-100-ends-flat-as-strong-us-jobs-report-revives-fed-rate-hike-bets.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/ftse-100-ends-flat-as-strong-us-jobs-report-revives-fed-rate-hike-bets.json","category":"Blogs","categories":["Blogs","Technology","Technology, Media & Telecoms"],"tags":["Asia","Bangkok","Denmark","Endeavour Mining","Fed","Federal Reserve","Finland","FRANCE","FTSE 100","GERMANY","Glencore","Greenland plan","Hong kong","Japan","London","Manila","mining stocks","Mumbai","Nasdaq Composite","NATO alliance","Netherlands","Nikkei 225","Norway","S&P 500","shanghai","Singapore","Sweden","Sydney","Taiwan","UK","United States","Wall Street","Wellington"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a0431289-d78b-411f-9495-09cad5d101bc.png?fit=1727%2C911&quality=80&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"The **FTSE 100 finished virtually unchanged on Friday** as stronger-than-expected US employment data pushed investors to reassess the likelihood of another Federal Reserve interest-rate increase in September.\n\nLondon’s blue-chip index slipped just **0.43 points to 10,831.09**, while the **FTSE 250 gained 0.4% to 24,584.71** and the AIM All-Share edged 0.10 of a point higher to 799.91.\n\nFor the week, the FTSE 100 gained 0.4%, while the FTSE 250 fell 1.3% and AIM lost 1.4%.\n\nUS nonfarm payrolls provided the main market catalyst. The economy added **162,000 jobs in August**, far above expectations for around 56,000.\n\nJuly’s employment figure was also revised sharply higher to a gain of 21,000 from an initially reported 23,000 decline, while June was revised to 31,000 from 20,000.\n\nThe unemployment rate held at **4.1%**, while average weekly earnings rose 3.1% year-on-year, slightly ahead of forecasts.\n\nThe stronger labour-market figures pushed expectations of a September Federal Reserve rate increase higher, with futures markets assigning roughly a **60% probability** to a move.\n\nAttention now shifts to next Friday’s US inflation report, which is likely to be crucial in determining whether the Fed tightens policy.\n\nWall Street moved lower following the jobs release. The **Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.7%**, the S&P 500 lost 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.4%.** US bond yields rose**, with the 10-year Treasury yield climbing to **4.78%** from 4.75% on Thursday.\n\nSterling weakened modestly to around **$1.3522**, having fallen as low as $1.3496 immediately after the jobs data.\n\nAmong individual FTSE 100 stocks, **Computacenter gained 4.1%** ahead of half-year results, with analysts suggesting another profit upgrade could be possible.\n\n**Vodafone rose 2.7%** after Goldman Sachs double-upgraded the shares to ‘buy’ from ‘sell’.\n\nExperian fell **4.4%** after US Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte accused the credit-reference industry of overcharging American consumers.\n\nOn the FTSE 250, **Renishaw gained 5.6%** after Bank of America upgraded the shares to ‘buy’, while **Genel Energy dropped 13%** after DNO said it did not intend to make a takeover offer.\n\nElsewhere in Europe,** Volkswagen** jumped 6.5% after its restructuring plan won unanimous supervisory board approval. The strategy includes a further 50,000 job reductions and targets a 9% operating margin by 2030.\n\nBrent crude eased to **$95.18 a barrel**, while gold fell to around **$4,439 an ounce**.\n\nUS markets will be closed on Monday for Labor Day, while the UK corporate calendar includes results from Standard Life and Ashmore."}