The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 7,380.80  up with +0.27% percent or +19.80 point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 6,084.20  up with +0.30% percent or +18.20 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 13,778.50 up with +0.18% percent or +24.10 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,846.00 up with +0.21% percent or +8.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

Not even a dip in sterling was able to offset the drag from RBS’s share price drop on the top flight index, but the FTSE 250 fared considerably better, likely in anticipation of fiscal largesse at the next budget on 11 March.

Boosting sentiment, overnight, the World Health Organisation said that the spike in coronavirus cases seen in China on Thursday were not new infections.

YESTERDAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 7,409.13 with a loss of –0.58% percent or –42.90  point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 6,069.35   with a loss of 0.39% percent or –23.78  point.Germany’s DAX closed at 13,744.21 with a loss of –0.0089% percent or –1.22  point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 29,398.08 with a loss of –0.086% percent or –25.23   point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,380.16 up  with +0.18% percent or +6.22 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 9,731.18 up with +0.20% percent or +19.21 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 23,523.24 with a loss of –0.69% percent or –164.35 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 27,961.00 up with +0.52% percent or +145.40  point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,983.62 up with +2.28% percent or  +66.61 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at  41,136.63 with a loss of –0.29% percent or –118.87 point at 12:15 PM.