The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 7,459.00  with a loss of -0.41% percent or -31.00 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 6,089.50  with a loss of -0.42% percent or -25.50 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 13,700.50 with a loss of  -0.55% percent or -75.90 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,836.00 with a loss of -0.52% percent or -20.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The FTSE 100 ended the day up 0.47% at 7,534.37, and the FTSE 250 was ahead 0.68% at 21,793.48.

At the same time, the pound was stronger on both of its major pairs, rising 0.19% on the dollar to last trade at $1.2976, and adding 0.39% against the euro to €1.1912.

Joshua Mahony, senior market strategist at IG, said traders had been “emboldened by an optimistic outlook from the top Chinese medical expert, Zhong Nanshan”.

YESTERDAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 7,534.37  up with +0.47% percent or  +34.93  point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 6,104.73  up with +0.83% percent or +49.98  point.Germany’s DAX closed at  13,749.78  up with +0.89% percent or +121.94  point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 29,551.42   up with +0.94% percent or +275.08  point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,379.45  up with +0.65% percent or +21.70 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 9,725.96 up with +0.90% percent or +87.02 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 23,827.73 with a loss of –0.14% percent or –33.48 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 27,739.60  with a loss of –0.30% percent or –84.06  point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,906.07 with a loss of –0.71% percent or –20.83 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at  41,360.50 with a loss of –0.49% percent or –205.40 point at 12:15 PM.