The FTSE 100 is poised to start the week on a firmer footing, with futures pointing to a 47-point rise to 9,587 on Monday, buoyed by improved sentiment across global markets.
Confidence has lifted after John Williams, president of the New York Federal Reserve, signalled that another US interest rate cut remains on the table before year-end. Williams said a softening labour market now poses a bigger risk to the US economy than inflation — a shift in tone that has encouraged traders to ramp up expectations of monetary easing.
Futures markets now price in a 70% chance of a quarter-point rate cut at the Fed’s final 2025 meeting in December, sharply higher than the 44% probability seen just a week ago.
Asian markets responded positively after last week’s bruising, tech-led sell-off. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped nearly 2%, led by strong rebounds in technology and healthcare stocks, as investors embraced a renewed risk-on mood.
That optimism followed a solid finish on Wall Street on Friday, where all three major indices posted gains. The Dow Jones rose 1.08%, the S&P 500 added 0.98%, and the Nasdaq climbed 0.88%, helping stabilise sentiment after days of volatility.
In early corporate news, attention is expected to focus on BHP’s second aborted takeover bid for Anglo American, which could dominate headlines as trading gets underway.
