DAILY ROUNDUP - Pre-Market Open London stocks are set for a slightly firmer start on Monday, with the FTSE 100 called around 19 points higher at 10,714. Brent crude rose to around $107.70 after Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposed seven-day truce that could have led to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Wall Street finished Friday higher, while Asian markets were mixed overnight and gold fell sharply to around $4,185 an ounce. In the UK, Andy Burnham heads into his first Labour conference as prime minister ahead of a challenging October Budget, while Avanti West Coast is set to return to public ownership. Meanwhile, the US and China have extended their trade truce and agreed to establish a communication channel for AI-related incidents.

DAILY ROUNDUP - Pre-Market Open London stocks are set for a firmer start on Friday, with the FTSE 100 called around 36 points higher at 10,716 despite a deepening global bond sell-off, with US Treasury yields surging as investors increase expectations for further Federal Reserve tightening. The US 10-year yield climbed as high as 5.22%, its highest level since 2007, while the 30-year reached 5.5%, levels not seen since 2004. Geopolitics remains firmly in focus after Saudi Arabia intercepted six Houthi ballistic missiles amid escalating fighting in Yemen, while France has announced plans to deploy military assets to help protect the strategically important Red Sea oil hub at Yanbu. Brent crude eased from Thursday’s levels but remained elevated at around $104.93 a barrel. Meanwhile, Iran has presented the US with a proposed seven-day plan that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and renewed negotiations. Wall Street finished modestly lower overnight, while Asian markets were mixed, with Japan’s Nikkei up 1.3% and Hong Kong down 1.4%. Sterling traded around $1.3219, gold strengthened to approximately $4,273 an ounce, and UK consumer confidence improved slightly in September to -13. Attention later today turns to US durable goods orders.

DAILY ROUNDUP - Pre-Market Open London stocks are set for a stronger start on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 called around 38 points higher at 10,747 after slipping 0.3% on Tuesday, as investors respond to renewed diplomatic contact between the US and Iran and await a fresh round of flash PMI data. US and Iranian officials held talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, with President Donald Trump subsequently saying discussions were continuing and that he believed a settlement could ultimately be reached, although significant differences remain. Wall Street finished mixed, with the Dow down 0.4%, the S&P 500 broadly flat and Nasdaq up 0.5%, while Asian markets were weaker in China and Hong Kong and Tokyo remained closed for a public holiday. Brent crude eased below $99 a barrel to around $98.49, gold held around $4,329 an ounce and sterling traded near $1.3315. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has meanwhile confirmed that artificial intelligence will be a central focus of the UK’s 2027 G20 presidency, with the government seeking international cooperation on AI standards and safety. Attention today turns to flash PMI readings from France, Germany, the eurozone, UK and US, while JD Sports Fashion, Renishaw, Time Finance and Warpaint London are among the companies reporting.