LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: FTSE called higher before US inflation gauge

(Alliance News) - London's FTSE 100 is set to build on Thursday's late march into the green, with ...

Alliance News 26 July, 2024 | 5:54AM
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(Alliance News) - London's FTSE 100 is set to build on Thursday's late march into the green, with equity markets largely calm ahead of a key US inflation reading later.

The US data is due at 1330 BST.

IG says futures indicate the FTSE 100 to open 21.2 points higher, 0.3%, at 8,207.55 on Friday. The index of London large-caps closed up 32.66 points, 0.4%, at 8,186.35 on Thursday. It has risen 0.4% so far this week, despite a lull on Tuesday and Wednesday.

US equities ended mixed on Thursday, with tech once again underperforming. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%, but the S&P 500 lost 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite shed 0.9%.

In Asia on Friday, the Nikkei 225 was 0.1% higher in late trade, while the S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.8%. In China, the Shanghai Composite was down 0.1%, but the Hang Seng in Hong Kong was up 0.3%.

"Traders are also eagerly awaiting the Fed's preferred inflation measure, the June PCE data, due later in the session. While the outcome is uncertain, a miss could weigh on equities due to initial fears of an economic recession in the US," ActivTrades analyst Anderson Alves commented.

Alves noted the data comes ahead of a Federal Reserve interest rate decision on Thursday. The Fed's preferred inflation gauge is the core personal consumption expenditures. That year-on-year reading is expected to show the rate of inflation eased to 2.5% in June, from 2.6% in May.

The pound was quoted at USD1.2863 early Friday, down from USD1.2882 at the time of the London equities close Thursday. The euro was largely unmoved at USD1.0859 from USD1.0860. Against the yen, the dollar slipped to JPY153.70 from JPY153.88.

Yen strength has been a theme this week. The greenback had bought JPY157.82 this time last week.

The dollar had traded as low as JPY151.95 on Thursday, but regained poise after US gross domestic product data.

Commerzbank analyst Volkmar Baur commented: "Those who still believed yesterday that the JPY's rally was due to idiosyncratic factors that only affect the Japanese currency were disabused of that notion. Better-than-expected US GDP figures put an end to the flight to safety that had been taking place and reversed the trend. The JPY gave up its day's gains against the US Dollar, while emerging market currencies such as the South African Rand were able to recoup their losses.

"Nevertheless, the JPY has gained about 5% against the US dollar since July 11, more than the Swiss franc and all other G10 currencies. Much of this is likely due to the Bank of Japan, or rather the expectations surrounding the Bank of Japan. The BoJ will hold a monetary policy meeting next Wednesday. And in recent weeks, expectations for another rate hike have continued to rise. The market now expects the BoJ to raise rates by another 10 basis points to 0.1-0.2%. This does not make Japan a high interest rate country, but of course a cycle of rate hikes would be in stark contrast to (almost) all other G10 central banks, which have either already started to cut rates or are likely to do so soon."

Brent oil was quoted at USD82.42 a barrel early Friday, rising from USD81.75 at the time of the London equity market close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at USD2,372.81 an ounce, rising from USD2,366.60.

In Friday's UK corporate calendar, there are half year results from Natwest, Rightmove, and Segro.

By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

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