The FTSE 100 has opened this week with a gentle rise, anticipated to climb by six points to 9,708. It’s a restrained launch that feels more like a half-charged phone than a swell of confidence, reflecting a calmer mood after Monday’s request turbulence.
FTSE 100 Opens Cautiously
Asian markets remained relatively quiet overnight as investors shook off the impact of last week’s volatility in bonds and cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin nudged back above $90,000, Wall Street futures moved slightly higher, and traders in equities appeared to treat Monday’s chaos as little more than a hiccup.
The MSCI Asia-Pacific indicator was largely flat, while Japan’s Nikkei jumped 1.14, signalling that global share prices are stabilising.
The earlier request jitters were sparked by talk of an implicit Bank of Japan rate hike, which rattled bond requests and stressed how quickly carry trades can turn.
Japanese government bonds continue to feel the pressure, with the five-year yield reaching its loftiest since 2008.
Modest FTSE 100 Gains Amid Global Calm
With few new catalysts for investors, attention is firmly back on the US Federal Reserve. Markets are now pricing in a likely rate cut next week and speculating that an even softer stance could follow if Kevin Hassett replaces Jerome Powell.
Meanwhile, a weaker bone and signs of a decelerating Australian frugality are helping set the scene. oil painting and gold posted small earnings, reflecting conservative sanguinity.
For the FTSE 100, the modest six-point rise glasses this conservative but steady sentiment in the UK stock market and the wider London share index.
In short, after a choppy launch to the week, equity trading in London is changing its meter again, steady, calm, and ready to see how global requests unfold over the coming days.
