The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at  7,303.00 up with +0.45% percent or +32.50 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,607.80 up with +0.28% percent or +15.80 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 12,326.00  up with  +0.23% percent or +28.20 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,508.00  with  +0.23% percent or +8.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

 London stocks were set for a firmer open on Wednesday, taking their cue from a positive Asian session amid hopes that the European Central Bank will cut interest rates and announce more stimulus this week.

The FTSE 100 was called to open 24 points higher at 7,291.

CMC Markets analyst David Madden said: “The ECB have motivation to loosening monetary policy. Germany is the power house of Europe and the economy contracted in the second-quarter, and there is talk of a recession. The Fed already cut interest rates in June, and there is speculation about a further cut later this month, so the ECB might want to make the first move

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 7,300.90  up with 0.45% percent or +32.95  point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 5,593.21 up with +0.076% percent or  +4.26 point.Germany’s DAX closed at 12,268.71  up with +0.35% percent or +42.61   point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 26,909.43  up with +0.28% percent or +73.92  point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,979.39  up with +0.032% percent or +0.96 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 8,084.16 with a loss of –0.041% percent or –3.28  point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 21,597.76 up  with +0.96% percent or +205.66 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 27,081.93 up with 1.49% percent or +398.25 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 3,008.81  with a loss of –0.41% percent or –12.39 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 37,267.88  up with +0.33% percent or +122.43 point at 12:15 PM.