FTSE Rises Ahead of BoE Decision
London stocks opened higher on Monday, with the FTSE 100 climbing 0.2% to 9,738.46, the FTSE 250 edging up 0.1% to 22,187.34, and the AIM All-Share rising 0.2% to 773.79.
Investors are bracing for a key Bank of England decision and a wave of earnings later in the week, with the FTSE rising as BP shares increased, Vodafone dropped, and Ceres Power rallied.
Attention is focused on Thursday's interest rate call at the Bank of England, with
softer inflation data making the decision more finely balanced, and some analysts warning that a quarter-point rate cut cannot be ruled out.
In New York, Wall Street finished modestly higher on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.1%, the S&P 500 up 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.6%.
- FTSE 100: 0.2% to 9,738.46
- FTSE 250: 0.1% to 22,187.34
- AIM All-Share: 0.2% to 773.79
Author's summary: FTSE rises ahead of BoE decision amidst softer inflation data.