London’s blue-chips are called to open higher after closing well down on Thursday, taking the cue from the US, where shares finished up.
The Dow Jones closed 76 points higher at 16,330, while the Nasdaq added 39 to 4,796 after sentiment was buoyed by a clutch of positive corporate earnings and employment data.
FTSE100 closed 73 lower at 6,156 as the Bank of England left interest rates at the bargain basement 0.5% level and after Asian machinery orders were disappointing.
But today, London shares are called to open around 29 points higher by analysts at spreadbetter IG Index.
In Asia, trading has been mixed. The Shanghai Composite Index in China is down two points at 3,196, while Japan's Nikkei 225 added 4.75% to 18,304.
Today, attention is likely to be focused again on the macro issues - the Asian economy and the timing of potential interest rate rises from central banks.
We are set for a quiet day on the reporting front, with just pub chain JD Wetherspoon (LON:JDW) reporting.
The group will reveal whether its price war with the High Street coffee chains, launched earlier this year, was ill-conceived or not.
Earlier this week, it announced that Costa Coffee boosted its worldwide total sales in its half year results and analysts are expecting Wetherspoons to have failed in its assault.
Broker Numis reckons pre-tax profit will fall as margins reduce to just 7.4% due to lower pricing on all its products.
“The company’s pricing strategy is key; it is clear that minimal price increases are not generating sufficient volume growth to offset their damage to margins," it noted.