LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: FTSE 100 called up prior to US PMI print

(Alliance News) - Stocks in London are set to open higher on Tuesday, after data showed a ...

Alliance News 3 September, 2024 | 6:05AM
Email Form Facebook Twitter LinkedIn RSS

(Alliance News) - Stocks in London are set to open higher on Tuesday, after data showed a sun-fuelled boost for retail sales in August, and ahead of a manufacturing purchasing managers' index print from the US.

IG says futures indicate the FTSE 100 to open up 13.0 points, or 0.2%, at 8,371.30 on Tuesday. The index of London large-caps closed down 12.79 points, 0.2%, at 8,363.84 on Monday.

Retail sales in the UK increased in August, boosted by rising food sales, but growth remains sluggish and the retail environment "challenging", a survey on Tuesday showed.

According to the BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor, retail sales rose 1.0% year-on-year in August, picking up speed from growth of 0.5% in July. This was above the 3-month average growth of 0.4% but below the 12-month average growth of 1.2%. In August 2023, retail sales increased 4.1%.

Food sales increased 2.9% year-on-year over the three months to August, against growth of 8.2% a year prior. In the three months to July, food sales rose 2.6% year-on-year. Non-food sales decreased 1.7% year-on-year over the three-months to August, against a decline of 0.2% in August 2023.

Sterling was quoted at USD1.3129 early Tuesday, lower than USD1.3145 at the London equities close on Monday.

The euro traded at USD1.1057 early Tuesday, lower than USD1.1068 late Monday. Against the yen, the dollar was quoted at JPY146.45, down versus JPY146.95.

In the US on Monday, financial markets were closed for Labor Day.

While Wall Street took the day off, US President Joe Biden and Kamala Harris campaigned together for the first time Monday after she replaced him as candidate.

Seeking to attract voters in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, the pair met union members in Pittsburg. The Labor Day event at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union underlined how Biden will play a role in the campaign in the final months before the vote.

"We have made a lot of progress, and Kamala and I are going to build on that progress, and she's going to build on it," Biden said. "I'll be on the sidelines, but I'll do everything I can to help."

In Asia on Tuesday, the Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo was down 0.2%. In China, the Shanghai Composite was down 0.5%, as was the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney closed down 0.1%.

Gold was quoted at USD2,494.87 an ounce early Tuesday, down from USD2,500.29 on Monday.

Brent oil was trading at USD77.22 a barrel early Tuesday, higher than USD76.92 late Monday.

In Tueday's corporate calendar, there are half-year results from GetBusy, Johnson Service Group, and Oxford Nanopore, among others. There are also full-year results from Alumasc and Craneware.

In the economic calendar on Tuesday, there is both CPI and GDP from Switzerland in the morning, as well as budget balance from France. Following several speeches from European Central Bank Members, there is a handful of US data this evening, including manufacturing PMI and the Redbook index.

By Holly Beveridge, Alliance News senior reporter

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2024 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Email Form Facebook Twitter LinkedIn RSS

About Author

Alliance News

Alliance News provides Morningstar with continuously updating coverage of news affecting listed companies.

© Copyright 2024 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Terms of Use        Privacy Policy        Modern Slavery Statement        Cookie Settings        Disclosures