Daily Roundup - Pre-Market Open Stocks in London are expected to open sharply higher on Friday with IG calling the FTSE 100 up 81 points at 10,385. Investor sentiment has improved after US President Donald Trump said a peace agreement with Iran could be signed within days and withdrew threats of further military strikes. The easing of geopolitical tensions pushed Brent crude down to US$88.13 per barrel from US$92.95, while global equity markets rallied. Wall Street closed strongly higher overnight with the Nasdaq gaining 2.5%, while Asian markets followed suit led by a 3.5% rise in Japan’s Nikkei. Attention will also focus on the historic debut of SpaceX on Nasdaq following its record-breaking US$75 billion IPO, valuing the company at almost US$1.8 trillion. In the UK, investors will be watching GDP, industrial production and trade balance data later today, while gold rose to US$4,176 per ounce as markets continue to balance optimism over peace talks with ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.

Daily Roundup - Pre Market Open Stocks in London are expected to open lower on Thursday with IG calling the FTSE 100 down 28 points at 10,226 as escalating tensions between the US and Iran weigh on sentiment. Fresh US strikes on Iranian targets and retaliatory attacks by Iran against US interests in the Gulf have raised concerns about regional stability, although US military officials stated commercial shipping continues through the Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian claims it had been closed. Brent crude strengthened to US$93.40 per barrel while gold eased to US$4,105 per ounce. Wall Street sold off overnight with the Dow falling 1.9%, the S&P 500 down 1.6% and the Nasdaq losing 2.0%. Asian markets were weaker across the board, led by losses in Hong Kong. Investors will focus today on the European Central Bank interest rate decision, alongside US producer price inflation and weekly jobless claims data. Oracle was a bright spot internationally after reporting strong quarterly results and unveiling plans to raise US$40 billion to fund future AI and cloud infrastructure expansion.

DAILY ROUNDUP - Pre Market Open London markets are expected to open slightly weaker as investors monitor escalating tensions between the US and Iran after fresh missile strikes on American bases in Jordan and Bahrain. Oil prices have edged higher with Brent trading above US$91 per barrel, while investors await today’s key US inflation data which could determine the near-term direction of global equity markets. Asian markets traded lower overnight, led by weakness in Japan and Hong Kong, while Wall Street finished mixed with technology stocks remaining under pressure. Gold eased back to around US$4,200 per ounce as traders positioned ahead of the inflation release. Closer to home, investors will also be watching trading updates from WH Smith and interim results from Pennon.