London’s FTSE 100 is poised for a softer open on Thursday as investors continue to monitor fragile Middle East diplomacy and digest mixed reactions to blockbuster earnings from NVIDIA.
Futures suggest the blue-chip index will open around 14 points lower at 10,418.74, following Wednesday’s 1% rally, which saw the FTSE 100 close at 10,432.34.
Geopolitical tensions remained firmly in focus after Iran confirmed it was reviewing a fresh US proposal aimed at ending the conflict in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump described negotiations as being “on the borderline” between a diplomatic breakthrough and renewed military action.
Trump said a deal could emerge “very quickly” but warned that Tehran must provide “100% good answers” if further conflict is to be avoided.
Oil prices remained elevated despite hopes of progress in negotiations. Brent crude edged higher to USD105.62 a barrel, while gold eased slightly to USD4,526 an ounce as some safe-haven demand faded.
On Wall Street, equities closed firmly higher overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 1.3%, the S&P 500 gaining 1.1% and the Nasdaq Composite advancing 1.5%.
However, NVIDIA shares slipped in after-hours trading despite another set of record-breaking results. The AI chip giant reported quarterly revenue of USD81.6 billion, up 85% year-on-year, as chief executive Jensen Huang said demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure had become “parabolic”.
Elsewhere in the technology sector, enthusiasm around artificial intelligence continued to build after reports that OpenAI is preparing for a potential stock market listing that could value the company at more than USD850 billion.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 3.5% led by technology stocks, while Chinese and Hong Kong markets traded lower amid ongoing caution around geopolitical risks and global growth prospects.
