Proactive Investors - Good morning. The FTSE 100 is expected to open lower after US stocks fell as talks over the US debt ceiling failed to make a break through.
Spread betting companies are calling London’s lead index down by around 20 points.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 336.46 points, or 1.0%, to 33,012.14. The S&P 500 shed 26.38 points, 0.6%, at 4,109.90 points while the Nasdaq Composite declined 22.16 points, 0.2%, at 12,343.05.
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said much work remained in negotiations to raise the federal borrowing limit and avert a potentially catastrophic credit default, with the deadline for agreement just days away.
President Biden will cut short a major trip to Asia this week, returning Sunday to Washington to continue talks with Republicans.
In Asia, the Nikkei 225 was 0.8% higher after earlier reaching a 33 year high of 30,115.32.
Japan's economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, official data showed, helped by a recovery in inbound tourism after pandemic border restrictions were lifted.
Back in London and the early focus will be updates from Experian PLC (LON:EXPN), JD Sports (LON:JD) and Watches Of Switzerland (LON:WOSG).
Ascential PLC (LON:ASCL) is another stock to watch after Sky News reported its consumer data business, WSGN, has attracted the interest of a private equity firm advised by the former head of the Daily Mail's parent, Sky News reported on Tuesday.
The business is understood to be valued at more than GBP700 million, with Apax Partners, another buyout firm, among the rival bidders to BC Partners.