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| Friday’s UK 100 Leaders | Close (p) | Chg (p) | % Chg | % YTD |
| Prudential PLC | 1688.75 | 52.3 | 3.2 | 151.25 |
| NMC Health PLC | 2539.5 | 75.5 | 3.1 | 255.5 |
| Rolls-Royce Group PLC | 924.1 | 20.1 | 2.2 | 20.9 |
| Anglo American PLC | 2184.5 | 47 | 2.2 | 131 |
| WPP Group PLC | 870.4 | 18.2 | 2.1 | 59.6 |
| Friday’s UK 100 Laggards | Close (p) | Chg (p) | % Chg | % YTD |
| Vodafone Group PLC | 141.19 | -3.3 | -2.3 | 1.39 |
| Berkeley Group Holdings (The) PLC | 3777 | -66 | -1.7 | 88 |
| Barratt Developments PLC | 616 | -9.8 | -1.6 | 16.8 |
| Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC | 250.55 | -3.5 | -1.4 | 3.55 |
| BT Group PLC | 223.85 | -3.2 | -1.4 | 0.9 |
| Major World Indices | Mid/Close | Chg | % Chg | % YTD |
| UK UK 100 | 7,446.9 | 44.9 | 0.6 | 10.7 |
| UK | 19,538.3 | 31.0 | 0.2 | 11.6 |
| FR CAC 40 | 5,473.3 | 9.5 | 0.2 | 15.7 |
| DE DAX 30 | 11,997.3 | 9.3 | 0.1 | 13.6 |
| US DJ Industrial Average 30 | 26,442.0 | 57.3 | 0.2 | 13.4 |
| US Nasdaq Composite | 7,921.4 | 29.6 | 0.4 | 19.4 |
| US S&P 500 | 2,888.1 | 8.7 | 0.3 | 15.2 |
| JP Nikkei 225 | 21,807.5 | 82.6 | 0.38 | 9.0 |
| HK Hang Seng Index 50 | 29,936.3 | -50.1 | -0.17 | 15.8 |
| AU S&P/ASX 200 | 6,181.3 | -51.5 | -0.83 | 9.5 |
| Commodities & FX | Mid/Close | Chg | % Chg | % YTD |
| Crude Oil, West Texas Int. ($/barrel) | 63.22 | 1.25 | 2.01 | 39.14 |
| Crude Oil, Brent ($/barrel) | 69.78 | 0.49 | 0.71 | 28.83 |
| Gold ($/oz) | 1291.68 | -0.63 | -0.05 | 0.71 |
| Silver ($/oz) | 15.09 | -0.08 | -0.53 | -2.46 |
| GBP/USD – US$ per £ | 1.3024 | – | -0.37 | 2.14 |
| EUR/USD – US$ per € | 1.1225 | – | 0.03 | -2.1 |
| GBP/EUR – € per £ | 1.1604 | – | -0.39 | 4.3 |
Click graph to enlarge
UK 100 called to open down 20 at 7426, giving back some of the points gained from the recent rally from 7160. A push beyond these levels could indicate a return to 7560. Conversely, a break below 7370 for a potential return to the channel floor at 7240
Watch levels: Bullish 7430, Bearish 7365
Friday’s encouraging US data saw better than expected non-farm payrolls and slower wage inflation, Asian shares pull back from a 7-month peak, appearing to turn more cautious. With expectations of a more benign fed, optimism may carry through to Asian markets in the coming sessions.
Asian equities trade mixed Nikkei -0.2%, Hang Seng unch and the ASX +0.6%.
Theresa May is expected to seek an extension to the April 12th deadline this week, be wary of further GBP weakness amongst the Brexit chaos. Traders are also conscious of the developing crisis in Libya and the subsequent effect on the oil price. Could the price of crude oil be set to continue its steady uptrend?
Gold prices hit one-week high as dollar turns lower after data showed U.S. wage growth slowed last month, while investors awaited minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s March meeting later this week.
In corporate news this morning:
BHP Group to cut more than 700 jobs (Reuters)
UK Bookmakers could underperform today after the Grand National's heavy favourite won on Saturday.
Sports Direct has offered to underwrite a £150m rights issue at the struggling retailer, Debenhams, in exchange for Mike Ashley being given the CEO job at the firm (Reuters)
Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence this morning and US Factory Orders
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Prepared by Michael van Dulken, Head of Research