Patrick Munnelly

On Thursday, UK stocks started the day with gains as a result of positive corporate earnings before stalling out and returning to nearly flat on the day. Investors are also looking forward to hearing from Bank of England policymaker Megan Greene for insight into the future of interest rates. The FTSE 100, which is heavily influenced by resources, saw a 0.4% increase.

Global markets were rattled by fresh unrest in the Middle East, leading to a decline in stocks while safe-haven assets like Treasury bonds and the dollar saw a surge in value.

of Tickmill On Friday, the UK stock market opened with a decline as concerns grew over the increasing tensions in the Middle East.

Equity markets in Asia mostly traded higher as tensions in the Middle East remained stable, allowing attention to shift back to corporate earnings and economic fundamentals.

London stocks had a strong start to the week, rebounding from the previous week's selloff. The easing tensions in the Middle East and anticipation around upcoming economic data likely contributed to the positive sentiment. It's interesting to note the performance of different sectors, with life insurers seeing gains while precious metal miners experienced a decline, reflecting shifts in investor risk sentiment.

On Tuesday, most Asian stock markets are experiencing gains, influenced by the positive performance of global markets and a reduction in concerns about a larger conflict in the Middle East following measured counterattacks by Iran and Israel. Traders are also taking advantage of buying opportunities as they await the release of various important U.S. economic reports on personal income and spending. However, concerns are mounting in the markets regarding the possibility of the US Federal Reserve refraining from cutting interest rates throughout this year. Speculation is arising that the next move in US rates might lean towards an increase. In the UK, March government borrowing surpassed expectations, leading to a £7 billion overshoot in the full-year deficit for 2023/24 compared to the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast.

The FTSE 100 has reached a record high, reflecting the global forces driving commodity prices rather than the performance of the British economy. Despite lagging behind other major indices due to Brexit uncertainty, the calm political situation and stable finances in the UK are turning the tide. The Bank of England's potential to cut rates earlier than expected is providing a boost to stocks, leading to the FTSE reaching an all-time high above 8000 points.

Asian stock markets are trading with mixed results on Thursday, following the uncertain signals from Wall Street overnight as META earnings failed to impress afterhours causing a late selloff. Traders are exercising caution as they await the report on first quarter US GDP data, which could potentially influence the outlook for interest rates. While the Fed is anticipated to maintain interest rates at next week's US Fed monetary policy meeting, traders are keen to gather hints about the likelihood of future rate cuts.

of Tickmill The FTSE 100 in Britain reached a new all-time high on Thursday, driven by a surge in miner Anglo American's stock following a buyout offer from BHP Group.

Asian equities saw gains today following strong US tech earnings, rebounding from yesterday's sell-off in both US equities and bonds triggered by Q1 GDP data showing slower growth and stronger inflation than anticipated. Overnight, the Bank of Japan kept short-term interest rates unchanged, as expected, maintaining them in the 0%-0.1% range after shifting them out of negative territory last month.