The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 5,904.90 up with +1.27% percent or +73.90  point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 4,501.44 up with +1.54% percent or +68.06  point. The DAX Futures is trading at 10,871.50 up with +1.12% or +120.60 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 2,886.00  up with +0.87% percent or +25.00 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

Sterling was mixed against its major trading pairs, last rising 0.02% on the dollar to $1.2352, while slipping 0.1% on the euro to €1.1427.

Data out during the afternoon showed a continued deterioration in the US jobs market over the latest reference week, although a smidgen less quickly than forecast.

According to the Department of Labor, in seasonally adjusted terms, initial jobless claims surged by a further 3.169 million during the week ending on 2 May

YESTERDAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 5,935.98 up with +1.40% percent or +82.22 point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 4,501.44 up with +1.54% percent or +68.06 point.Germany’s DAX closed at 10,759.27  up with +1.44% percent or +153.07 point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 23,664.64  with a loss of -0.91% percent or -218.45 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,848.42 with a loss of –0.70%percent or -20.02 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 8,854.39  up with 0.51% percent or +45.27 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 19,674.77 with 0.28% percent or +55.42  point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 23,970.39 with a loss of –0.69% percent or –167.09 point. China’s Shanghai  Composite is trading at 2,871.52 with a loss of –0.23% percent or –6.62point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 31,508.18 with a loss of –0.56% percent or –177.57  point at 12:15 PM.