LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: FTSE to open flat; yen down after Japan poll

(Alliance News) - London's FTSE 100 is to tread water at the start of the week, while the yen ...

Alliance News 28 October, 2024 | 6:51AM
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(Alliance News) - London's FTSE 100 is to tread water at the start of the week, while the yen slumped amid political uncertainty in Japan.

IG says futures indicate the FTSE 100 to open just 2.5 points lower at 8,246.34 on Monday. The index of London large-caps closed down 19.13 points, 0.3%, at 8,248.84 on Friday.

In Tokyo on Monday, the Nikkei 225 surged 1.8%. In China, the Shanghai Composite added 0.3%. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong was up 0.2%. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.1%.

Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Monday he was not considering a broader coalition, raising the possibility that he could form a minority government.

"At this point, I do not envisage forming a coalition. I think our starting point needs to be thorough discussions that allow us to humbly accept individual policies" from lawmakers outside the coalition, he told reporters after Sunday's election.

Ishiba faced the prospect of minority rule Monday after his gamble of snap elections backfired with the ruling party's worst election result in 15 years.

Ishiba, 67, called Sunday's election days after taking office on October 1, but voters angry at a slush fund scandal punished his Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan almost non-stop since 1955.

"We are receiving severe judgement," Ishiba said late Sunday as footage showed gloomy faces at the conservative party's headquarters.

The Japanese people "expressed their strong desire for the LDP to do some reflection and become a party that will act in line with the people's will", he said.

The pound was quoted at USD1.2953 early Monday, down from USD1.2979 at the London equities close on Friday, The euro stood at USD1.0792, down from USD1.0813. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JPY153.29, up from JPY152.07.

Brent oil was quoted at USD72.60 a barrel, slumping from USD75.98. Gold was quoted at USD2,742.16 an ounce, rising from USD2,737.99.

Iran said it was obliged to defend itself, after Israeli retaliatory strikes hit military targets and killed two soldiers in the Islamic republic on Saturday.

"Iran has the right and the duty to defend itself against foreign acts of aggression," the foreign ministry said in a statement, citing Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.

The Iranian army said two soldiers were killed in Israeli air strikes on military installations in the Islamic republic on Saturday, according to a statement carried by state television.

"The army of the Islamic Republic of Iran lost two of its fighters during the night when they faced projectiles from the criminal Zionist regime in defence of its territory," the statement said.

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6%, the S&P 500 faded slightly, but the Nasdaq Composite added 0.6%.

This week's global economic calendar sees a raft of jobs data in the US culminating in nonfarm payrolls figures on Friday.

The local corporate calendar on Monday sees a trading statement from Computacenter. Later in the week results are due from BP, HSBC, GSK, Standard Chartered and Shell.

By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor

Comments and questions to newsroom@alliancenews.com

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