---
title: "FTSE 100 set for cautious open as oil holds near $100 and GDP looms"
publisher: "Share Talk"
author: "sharetalk"
published: "2026-03-13T07:27:34+00:00"
modified: "2026-03-13T07:27:34+00:00"
date: 2026-03-13
canonical: "https://www.share-talk.com/ftse-100-set-for-cautious-open-as-oil-holds-near-100-and-gdp-looms/"
category: "B2B"
categories: ["B2B", "Blogs", "Technology", "Technology, Media & Telecoms"]
tags: ["Brent Crude", "Dmitry Peskov", "gas", "Iran", "Kremlin", "liquefied natural gas", "LNG", "Middle East", "oil", "Qatari energy minister", "Russia", "Saad al-Kaabi"]
image: "https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FTSE-100-11_12_23.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&quality=89&ssl=1"
format: "news"
language: "en-GB"
---

# FTSE 100 set for cautious open as oil holds near $100 and GDP looms

**Published:** March 13, 2026
**Author:** sharetalk
**Categories:** B2B, Blogs, Technology, Technology, Media & Telecoms
**Tags:** Brent Crude, Dmitry Peskov, gas, Iran, Kremlin, liquefied natural gas, LNG, Middle East, oil, Qatari energy minister, Russia, Saad al-Kaabi
**Featured image:** ![](https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FTSE-100-11_12_23.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&quality=89&ssl=1)

---

London stocks were set for a cautious start on Friday as oil prices hovered around [$ 100 a barrel](https://www.share-talk.com/what-happened-overnight-friday-13th-march-2026/) and investors awaited a busy run of economic data, including UK GDP figures.

Futures pointed to the FTSE 100 opening just 0.7 points higher at 10,305.85. The index had closed 0.5% lower at 10,305.15 on Thursday.

Oil markets remained volatile, with Brent crude trading at $100.28 a barrel early Friday, up from $98.65 late the previous day, as the conflict in the Middle East continued to unsettle investors.

The US Treasury said it would temporarily allow the sale of Russian oil already at sea, providing a short-term easing of sanctions introduced after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Under the licence, Russian crude and petroleum products loaded onto vessels on or before 12 March may be delivered and sold until 11 April.

US President Donald Trump signalled he was comfortable with higher oil prices, arguing that the United States, as the world’s largest oil producer, stood to benefit from the rise. He also said the conflict with Iran was moving “very rapidly”, even as Tehran’s new leadership vowed to resist.

In currency markets, sterling weakened to $1.3320 early Friday from $1.3410 at the London close on Thursday. The euro also slipped to $1.1493, while the dollar edged up against the yen to ¥159.42.

Wall Street ended sharply lower on Thursday, with the Dow Jones down 1.6%, the S&P 500 falling 1.5% and the Nasdaq Composite losing 1.8%.

In Asia, markets were also weaker on Friday. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.1%, while China’s Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng both dropped 0.9%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.1% lower.

Gold also eased, falling to $5,093.30 an ounce from $5,131.30 on Thursday.

---

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