London’s blue-chip indicator is anticipated to open on a restrained note this Friday, mirroring the conservative mood sweeping across global markets.
Investors are traipsing precisely as mounting enterprises over-exaggerate artificial intelligence valuations and broader profitable query continues to weigh on sentiment.
According to futures platform IG, the FTSE 100 is forecast to dip by around 0.1%, sitting near 9,729.48 after a choppy session on Thursday that saw the index fall 0.4%.
The Bank of England’s decision to keep interest rates on hold at 4%, by the narrowest of margins, added to the unease.
Global Sell-Off Hits Tech and AI Stocks
Overnight trading painted a similar picture of restraint.
Wall Street stumbled, with the Nasdaq Composite sliding 1.9%, the S&P 500 losing 1.1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average also finishing in the red.
Judges refocused on “AI fatigue” as investors questioned whether the recent tech rally had run ahead of itself. conservative tones from major U.S. bank directors only strengthened the withdrawal.
Asian requests followed suit, echoing Wall Street’s jitters. Dealers across Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai were reticent to take fresh positions amid fears that global equities might be due for a correction after months of strong earnings.
Bond requests also reflected this conservative atmosphere. U.S. Treasury yields ticked up slightly, with the 10-year note at 4.10%.
Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee warned that the ongoing U.S. government shutdown is blurring the central bank’s view of inflation data, making it harder to steer monetary policy effectively.
UK Footfall Rises as Corporate M&A Rumours Stir
Back in the UK, October’s retail footfall figures offered a flicker of stability. High thoroughfares saw modest enhancement despite patient cost- of- living pressures, a small but welcome sign for Britain’s floundering retail sector.
Commercial captions added some conspiracy to the morning. Reports surfaced that Comcast may be eyeing a preemption of ITV’s media division, potentially incorporating it with Sky to strengthen its position in the competitive UK streaming market.
Such a move could reshape the geography for homegrown broadcasters fighting against global streaming titans.
On the goods front, gold edged advanced to $4,005 an ounce, while Brent crude nudged up to $64 a barrel.
Dealers are now looking ahead to a busy slate of profitable data due latterly moment from Canada, Germany, the UK, and the United States, which could give further suggestions about the health of the global economy.
For now, the FTSE 100 looks set to open in the red, albeit just slightly, as investors keep one eye on central bank policy and the other on the fast-evolving world of AI stocks. Requests remain jittery, and confidence, it seems, is still staying for a solid reason to return.
