(Alliance News) - Stocks in London are set to open higher on Friday, rounding off a tricky week with a gain, with a UK gross domestic product reading to come shortly.
According to FXStreet-cited consensus, numbers are expected to show the UK economy advanced 0.1% monthly in January.
The pound was quoted lower at USD1.2942 on Friday morning London time, from USD1.2957 on Thursday.
Also to come on Friday is a German consumer price index reading at 0700 GMT and the Michigan consumer sentiment index in the US at 1400 GMT.
IG says futures indicate the FTSE 100 to open 20.4 points higher, 0.2%, at 8,562.96 on Friday. The index of London large-caps closed up just 1.59 points at 8,542.56. The index has fallen 1.6% this week.
In China, the Shanghai Composite was up 1.7%, while the Hang Seng Index jumped 2.4%. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.8%. In Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.5%.
"A political landmine was successfully dodged in Washington, sparking a relief rally across Asian stocks and US and European equity-index futures on Friday. With signs pointing to the US avoiding a government shutdown, traders rushed to cover their weekend hedges, fuelling a short-term bounce in risk assets," SPI Asset Management analyst Stephen Innes commented.
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer – who has long insisted that it is bad politics to shut down the government – indicated he would vote for the bill, raising hopes for its success.
Innes added: "But let's not kid ourselves—this is still a market running on edge. Volatility remains the name of the game, and the whipsaw action isn't going anywhere anytime soon."
In New York on Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.3%, the S&P 500 lost 1.4% and the Nasdaq Composite plunged 2.0%.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday, the producer price index increased 3.2% in February from a year before, easing from a 3.7% annual advance in January.
January's price growth was upwardly revised from 3.5%.
The February reading was shy of the FXStreet-cited market forecast, which expected a chunkier 3.3% rate of producer price inflation.
The numbers followed US data on Wednesday showing consumer price inflation eased.
According to the BLS, US consumer prices rose 2.8% on-year in February, cooling from a 3.0% rise in January. The figure was shy of the FXStreet-cited consensus, which pencilled in a 2.9% yearly increase in consumer prices.
The pace of US consumer price inflation had accelerated for four months in a row from 2.4% in September.
The next Fed decision is on Wednesday. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, there is a 97% chance it leaves rates unmoved at 4.25% to 4.50%.
The euro stood at USD1.0841 early Friday, from USD1.0874 at the time of the European equities close on Thursday. Against the yen, the dollar was trading lower at JPY146.69 from JPY147.65.
Gold was at USD2,984.09 an ounce early Friday, up slightly from USD2,982.53 at the time of the London equities close on Thursday. Brent oil was higher at USD70.750 a barrel from USD70.13.
Gold hit another record high on Friday, spiking above USD2,993 an ounce.
Friday's UK corporate calendar sees a trading statement from housebuilder Berkeley Group and full-year results from Vanquis Banking Group.
By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
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