FTSE 100 futures look to gain more c20 points to reach c8,315 on Friday, building on Thursday’s 10-point increase.
The UK economy unexpectedly contracted in November due to a production and construction output slowdown. Official statistics also revealed that Britain’s economy shrank in October, emerging just days after Sir Keir Starmer reduced his growth-related manifesto commitments.
Asian markets appeared poised for a slow start as investors maintained a cautious appetite for risk ahead of next week’s Federal Reserve policy meeting.
Australian stocks declined, and equity futures in Japan and Hong Kong also indicated losses following a sell-off on Wall Street on Thursday that impacted both stocks and government bonds.
Traders weighed higher-than-expected jobless claims against strong producer price data.
In China, investors are now monitoring the market’s response to the government’s plans to increase borrowing in 2025 to support consumption and stimulate the economy.
Meanwhile, on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.5% to 43,914.12, the S&P 500 decreased by a similar percentage to 6,051.25, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.7% to 19,902.84.
Additionally, the yield on benchmark 10-year US Treasury notes rose to 4.334%, up from 4.271% late on Wednesday.
