The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 7,294.50  with a loss of -0.16% percent or -12.00 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 5,926.50  with a loss of -0.03% percent or -2.00 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 13,227.00  with a loss of -0.06% percent or -8.30 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,702.00  with a loss of -0.05% percent or -2.00  point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

That good news was offset by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s announcement of his intention to nationalise part of BT Group should his party win the general election, as well as by rival proposals from Labour and the Conservatives to raise the UK minimum wage, with the latter sparking a call for prudence from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Corbyn said he wanted to nationalise BT Group’s fixed line network, to give all Britons free access to full-fibre broadband, financed by a tax on technology giants and via a ‘Green Transformation’ fund.

YESTERDAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 7,302.94 up with +0.14% percent or +10.18 point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 5,939.27  up with 0.65%  percent or +38.20 point.Germany’s DAX closed at 13,241.75  up with +0.47% percent or +61.52     point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 28,004.89  up with +0.80% percent or +222.93 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,120.46  up with +0.77% percent or +23.83 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 8,540.83  up with +0.73% percent or +61.81 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 23,416.76   up with +0.49% percent or +113.44 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 26,694.17 up with +1.40% percent or +367.51 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,909.20  up with +0.62% percent or +17.86   point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 40,331.58  with a loss of –0.062% percent or –25.11  point at 12:15 PM.