London's blue chips are set to claw back yesterday's losses, encouraged by hopes of the Chinese authorities providing more help to markets.
Spread betting quotes point to the FTSE 100 opening at around 5,870, up 90 points on last night's close.
The old “bad news is good news” mind-set returned overnight in China, with slowing growth in gross domestic product (GDP) raising hopes that the authorities will provide more stimulus.
GDP grew at its slowest rate in a quarter of a century in 2015, rising 6.9%, versus 7.3% in 2014.
Fourth quarter GDP grew at an annualised rate of 6.8%, which was one-tenth of a percentage point than the consensus forecast.
Shares in Hong Kong put in a good shift, with the Hang Seng 1.6% higher in the last hour of trading, while in Shanghai, the Composite index was 3.1% firmer.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 was 0.6% top the good.
The US equity market was closed yesterday.
Back in Blighty, full-year results from consumer goods leviathan Unilever (LON:ULVR) are scheduled, as is a trading statement from oil & gas firm Cairn Energy (LON:CNE).
“Recent press commentary indicates a planned refinancing for First Oil (private company), a partner with Cairn and Enquest in Kraken, has fallen apart and a sales process for First Oil is now under way,” notes Thomas Martin at Numis Securities.
“We understand that there has been no adverse impact upon development progress at Kraken to date as a consequence of the developments at First Oil,” he added.
“We look for an update on progress and evidence that the changes made by the FPSO [floating platform] contractor to address the scheduling issues at the yard are bearing fruit. Cairn has no producing assets today and is thus not exposed to current oil price weakness,” Martin noted.
Unilever has guided towards profit before tax of €7.37bn - €7.72, with the consensus a little below the halfway point at €7.50bn.
“Underlying fourth quarter sales growth in the region of 4% to 5% may be reported, with Emerging Market growth again outpacing Developed markets,” suggests Keith Bowman at Hargreaves Lansdown.
“The group’s focus on product innovation and cost control could be further underlined, with management’s summary of its markets as 'challenging' potentially repeated,” he added.