UK PRE MARKET

The FTSE 100 Futures are trading at 7,470.50 for up with +0.02% percent or +1.30 point. The CAC 40 Futures are trading at 5,337.00  with a loss of -0.17% percent or -9.00 point . The DAX Futures are trading at 13,063.50 for up with +0.09% percent or +12.00 point . The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures are trading at 3,536.00  with a loss of  -0.08% percent or -3.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

London stocks dipped lower late on Thursday amid thin trading volumes, a downgrade of UK growth forecasts from the International Monetary Fund and a mixed start on Wall Street.

The FTSE 100 fell 0.25% to 7,525.22, with volumes on the index down 30% versus the 100-day average, while the pound was up 0.1% on the dollar at 1.3403 and down 0.2% against the euro to 1.1286.

On the one hand, investors cheered progress on the US tax reform front after the Senate approved a tax bill that includes $1.5trn of tax cuts – the biggest tax overhaul in three decades – that will now go back to the House of Representatives for a final vote later in the day.

 

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY
For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 7,523.96  with a loss of –0.03% percent or  –2.32 point. France’s CAC 40 closed at 5,352.77 with a loss of -0.56% percent or  –30.13 point. Germany’s DAX closed at 13,069.17 with a loss of –1.11% percent or –146.62 point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow are trading at 24,726.65 with a loss of –0.11% percent or  –28.10 point. The S&P 500 are trading at 2,679.25 with a loss of –0.08% percent or –2.22 point. The Nasdaq Composite are trading at 6,960.96 with a loss of –0.04% percent or  –2.89 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 are trading at 22,866.10  with  a loss of –0.11% percent or –25.62 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng are trading at 29,376.51 for up  with +0.49% percent or  +142.42 point. China’s Shanghai Composite are trading at 6,960.96 for up with  +0.38% percent or +12.45 point. India’s BSE Sensex are trading at 33,749.80 with a loss of –0.08% percent or  –27.58 point at 12:15 PM.