LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: Higher call on Biden-Putin summit hopes

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening higher on Monday on the possibility of ...

Alliance News 21 February, 2022 | 7:03AM
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(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening higher on Monday on the possibility of a summit about Ukraine between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

IG futures indicate the FTSE 100 index is to open 27.88 points higher at 7,541.50. The index closed down 23.75 points, or 0.3%, at 7,513.62 on Friday.

Biden has agreed in principle to a meeting with Putin so long as Moscow does not invade Ukraine, the White House confirmed Sunday after it was first announced by France.

The US is "committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins", press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

"President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin...if an invasion hasn't happened."

She added: "We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon."

French President Emmanuel Macron and Putin on Sunday agreed to work for a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine.

In a phone conversation lasting 105 minutes, they agreed on "the need to favour a diplomatic solution to the ongoing crisis and to do everything to achieve one", the Elysee said, adding that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov would meet "in the coming days".

Moscow denies it plans to attack its neighbour, but is seeking a guarantee that Ukraine will never join NATO and that the Western alliance will remove forces from Eastern Europe, demands the West has refused.

"European markets look set to start the week slightly higher despite tensions on the Ukraine, Russian border ramping up further over the weekend. The move into positive territory only came about due to an agreement in principle for US President Biden, and Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet to avert a further slide into hostilities," said CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson.

In the US on Friday, Wall Street ended lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 both ended down 0.7%, and Nasdaq Composite closed 1.2% lower. Financial markets in the US will be closed on Monday for Presidents Day.

In Asia on Monday, the Japanese Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.8%. In China, the Shanghai Composite was down 0.3%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong was down 1.0%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney closed up 0.2%.

Japan's private sector is on track for a further decline in February, as a record number of Covid-19 cases and renewed restrictions tighten the stranglehold on output and new orders, data from IHS Markit showed.

The au Jibun Bank flash Japan composite purchasing managers' index dropped to 44.6 points in February from a final figure of 49.9 in January.

The dollar was lower early Monday.

The pound was quoted at USD1.3622 early Monday, up from USD1.3584 at the London equities close Friday. The euro was priced at USD1.1369, up from USD1.1334. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JPY114.94 in London, down from JPY115.11.

Brent oil was quoted at USD93.23 a barrel Monday morning, up from USD92.85 at the close Friday. Gold stood at USD1,890.12 an ounce, soft from USD1,893.40 on Friday.

In the UK corporate on Monday, ahead of a busy earnings week, there are half-year results from Wilmington, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Finsbury Food and Sylvania Platinum. Bank of Cyprus will issue full-year results.

On Tuesday, InterContinental Hotels and lender HSBC report annual results. Luxury carmaker Aston Martin Lagonda and lender Barclays follow on Wednesday.

Thursday will see annual results from defence contractor BAE Systems, lender Lloyds Banking, and jet engine maker Rolls-Royce. Full-year results from British Airways-parent IAG rounds off the week on Friday.

In the economics calendar Monday, there are PMI readings due from Germany, eurozone, and the UK. On Tuesday, there is the US housing price index alongside PMI data.

Wednesday has inflation readings from the eurozone, and there are US economic growth and jobless claims figures on Thursday.

By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com

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