LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: Flat call; UK monitors Indian Covid variant

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening marginally lower on Monday, failing to ...

Alliance News 19 April, 2021 | 5:59AM
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(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London are seen opening marginally lower on Monday, failing to benefit from positive momentum in equity markets elsewhere, amid fears over an Indian Covid-19 variant in the UK.

IG futures indicate the FTSE 100 index is to open 4.43 points lower at 7,015.10. The blue-chip index closed up 36.03 points, or 0.5%, at 7,019.53 Friday.

The Japanese Nikkei 225 index was up 0.1% on Monday. In China, the Shanghai Composite was up 1.1%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong was up 0.6%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney closed up 0.2%.

In the US on Friday, Wall Street ended higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.5%, S&P 500 up 0.4% and Nasdaq Composite up 0.1%.

The Indian coronavirus mutation could "scupper" the UK's march to freedom, a leading scientist has warned, despite the lockdown and vaccine programme leading to cases falling to a seven-month low.

According to the latest update from Public Health England, 77 confirmed cases of the B.1.617 variant, which was first discovered in India, have been detected in the UK, including 73 in England and 4 in Scotland.

UK Environment Secretary George Eustice defended the government's decision not to further restrict travel to the country, but said the situation is being kept "under regular review".

Amid growing fears that the new strain could delay the UK government's lockdown easing road map, Eustice added that it is "too early to say" whether all hospitality businesses can open on May 17 as ministers must keep "a close eye on these variants of concern".

Imperial College's Danny Altmann said those arriving into the country from India should be subject to a hotel quarantine if the UK is to shut out variants that could set back Prime Minister Boris Johnson's lockdown easing plans.

But despite the warnings, Downing Street has insisted Johnson's trip to India later this month - his first major international visit since securing a Brexit trade deal with Brussels - will go ahead.

The pound was quoted at USD1.3851 early Monday, up from USD1.3821 at the London equities close Friday.

UK house prices notched another record high in April, numbers from property listing portal Rightmove showed, rising more than 2% monthly for just the second time over the past five years.

The UK housing market produced a fast resurgence after re-emerging from the UK's first national lockdown in Spring of last year. Since then, the sector has been largely spared from tough restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.

According to Rightmove, UK house prices rose 2.1% monthly in April, to a new record high of GBP327,797.

Meanwhile, an increasing number of firms expect their prices to increase significantly in the coming months, new research suggests.

The prediction comes amid growing concern among businesses over rising inflation, said the British Chambers of Commerce. Its survey of more than 5,800 firms found that two in five believe their prices will increase in the next three months. Around a third of respondents said inflation is a cause for concern.

The euro was priced at USD1.1960 early Monday, down from USD1.1981 late Friday. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar was quoted at JPY108.67, lower from JPY108.82.

Brent oil was quoted at USD66.53 a barrel Monday morning, down from USD66.70 late Friday. Gold was trading at USD1,777.44 an ounce, marginally lower from USD1,778.24.

Monday's economic calendar has eurozone construction output data at 1000 BST.

The People's Bank of China's latest interest rate decision is reported on Tuesday, before UK inflation data on Wednesday and a slew of flash PMIs on Friday.

In addition, the European Central Bank's interest rate decision is on Thursday.

Monday's UK corporate calendar has annual results from ceramic products maker Churchill China and oil and gas firm Energean.

By Arvind Bhunjun; arvindbhunjun@alliancenews.com

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