London’s FTSE 100 is expected to open sharply lower on Friday, 6 November, as a brutal sell-off in US technology shares spreads across global markets, with mounting concerns over artificial intelligence investment, political scrutiny and the outlook for economic growth.
Futures indicate that the FTSE 100 will fall around 117 points, or 1.1%, to 10,665.76 at the opening bell, extending Thursday’s decline when the blue-chip index closed 46.55 points lower at 10,782.66.
The anticipated losses follow a dramatic session on Wall Street, where the Nasdaq Composite plunged 5.5%, the S&P 500 dropped 4.4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 3.4% as investors reduced exposure to technology and other growth-sensitive stocks.
The sell-off has been driven partly by concerns that the Democrats’ sweeping victory in the US midterm elections could bring greater regulatory scrutiny of artificial intelligence companies and the rapidly expanding data centre industry.
Democratic control of both chambers of Congress is expected to increase oversight of major technology companies, particularly around energy consumption, market dominance, infrastructure investment and the rising cost of electricity.
Incoming lawmakers have already signalled their intention to question technology executives, with Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar calling for AI company chief executives to testify under oath.
Senator Ed Markey has also warned of extensive congressional investigations, potentially placing further pressure on companies that have invested heavily in AI infrastructure.
The prospect of tighter data centre regulation has unsettled investors, particularly as the sector’s rapid expansion has supported substantial spending on semiconductors, electricity infrastructure and computing equipment.
The political shift does not guarantee immediate restrictions, but it introduces uncertainty over future project approvals, operating costs and the pace of investment.
Asian markets followed Wall Street sharply lower on Friday, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 plunging 6% as technology and semiconductor-related companies came under renewed selling pressure.
China’s Shanghai Composite declined 1.1%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.8% and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 retreated 0.5%.
The weakness also spread into digital assets, with Bitcoin falling towards $76,000 as selling pressure across technology markets triggered more than $1 billion in reported leveraged cryptocurrency liquidations.
Meanwhile, Brent crude rebounded to $99.87 a barrel, up from $97.34 late Thursday, following a volatile week dominated by developments in the Middle East.
Gold eased to $4,048.15 an ounce, compared with $4,116.08 in the previous session, as investors reassessed positions following the sharp movements across global markets.
Currency markets also reflected the nervous mood.
Sterling weakened to $1.3426 against the US dollar, down from $1.3473 at Thursday’s London close, following the Bank of England’s decision to increase interest rates to 4%.
Against the euro, the pound slipped to €1.1995 from €1.2001, while the euro itself declined to $1.1192 against the dollar.
UK consumer spending concerns added to the cautious outlook, after new figures from the British Retail Consortium and Sensormatic revealed a sharp deterioration in retail footfall during October.
Total UK retail footfall declined 4.7% year-on-year, compared with a 2.9% fall in September, representing the steepest decline since April.
High street footfall dropped 5.2%, shopping centres recorded a 4.1% decline and retail parks saw visitor numbers fall 3.6%.
The latest data comes just a day after the Bank of England raised interest rates from 3.75% to 4%, warning that inflation could approach 5% by the middle of 2027.
Higher borrowing costs, combined with elevated energy bills and uncertainty over the global economy, could place additional pressure on household spending and business investment.
Geopolitical developments remain another focus for markets after US President Donald Trump suggested that a potentially significant agreement with Russia could extend beyond Ukraine to wider European security arrangements.
Trump made the remarks following an unexpected meeting with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House, although no detailed agreement has been announced.
The comments have raised questions about the direction of US foreign policy and the potential implications for European security and relations with Ukraine.
In the UK corporate calendar, Rightmove and TBC Bank Group are scheduled to release trading updates, while Aimia is due to publish third-quarter results.
Investors will also assess UK house price figures, German industrial production and eurozone retail sales.
Friday’s most closely watched economic release will be the US October employment report, including nonfarm payrolls and the unemployment rate, followed by the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey.
The figures could influence expectations for US monetary policy at a time when financial markets are already experiencing substantial volatility.
The FTSE 100’s anticipated 117-point decline would extend Thursday’s reversal and leave London’s benchmark index under renewed pressure, with technology-related investment trusts, financial companies and economically sensitive stocks potentially facing further selling.
The combination of falling global equities, tighter monetary policy, weak UK retail activity and uncertainty over future AI investment creates a challenging backdrop for the final trading session of the week.
Attention will now turn to whether European markets can stabilise following the overnight sell-off and whether the US employment figures provide any relief for investors ahead of the weekend.
