AUS
NZ
UK
CA
USA
IND
.jpg)
Highlights
- FTSE 100 trades modestly in green at 7,033, in the second half of the trade, while the mid-cap focused FTSE 250 index trades at 23,775, up by 0.60%.
- Consumer-centric businesses like airlines and sports betting and gambling sector stocks are trading higher.
FTSE 100 trades marginally up by 0.08% at 7,033, while the mid-cap focused FTSE250 index trades at 23,775, up by 0.60%. The blue-chip index is receiving support from the airlines stock, with British Airways operator IAG Group being the leading mover, while sports betting and gambling sector stocks also showed some upside with Entain Plc and Flutter Entertainment amongst top gainers.
Top five FTSE100 gainers
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (6.44%), InterContinental Hotels Group plc (3.03%), Rolls Royce Holdings Plc (3.03%), Informa plc (2.81%), HSBC Holdings plc (2.67%)
Top five FTSE100 losers
Anglo American (-5.27%), BHP Group Plc (-3.75%), Rio Tinto plc (-3.57%), Weir Group plc (-2.35%), Ocado Group plc (-2.18%)
European Markets
Major European market indexes are trading mixed. The German blue-chip DAX index is down by 0.04% at 15,644, while the benchmark index of France, CAC 40, was at 6,647, up by 0.38%. European markets are trading in a range, though are expected to end the week in the green zone.
Currency Markets
The pound trades slightly lower against the dollar at 1.3784, down by 0.03% after yesterday’s close of 1.3788, while the EUR/ GBP currency pair traded at 0.8529, down by 0.01%. The dollar is mostly trading higher than the major European currencies following strong US economic data over the week, which might lead to tapering expectations in all-important US Federal Reserve meeting next week.
Commodities
WTI crude oil future contract traded at USD 71.86, down by 0.96%, while the Brent crude oil trades at USD 75.19, down by 0.65%. Crude oil prices are mostly range-bound but on track for a weekly gain of over 3% following recovery in production output after two hurricanes hit the US Gulf of Mexico in quick succession.
Meanwhile, the Gold futures contract declined for the second consecutive day, down by 0.28% at USD 1,750.90 per ounce.
Asian Markets
Major Asia Pacific indexes made a mixed closing. Shanghai Composite of China closed at 3,613, up by 0.19%, while India’s Nifty 50 closed at 17,585, down by 0.25%. Australia’s ASX200 closed at 7,403, down by 0.76%, while Nikkei 225 of Japan closed at 30,500, up by 0.58%. Hang Seng index closed in green, up by 1.03% at 24,920.
