🤯 Have you seen our AI stock pickers’ 2024 results? 84.62%! Grab November’s list now.Pick Stocks with AI

London pre-open: Stocks seen muted as investors mull GDP data

Published 13/07/2023, 08:01
London pre-open: Stocks seen muted as investors mull GDP data
UK100
-
DOCS
-

Sharecast - The FTSE 100 was called to open just four points higher at 7,420.

Figures released earlier by the Office for National Statistics showed that the economy contracted by 0.1% in May following 0.2% growth in April. Still, this was ahead of expectations for a 0.3% contraction.

The construction sector eased by 0.2%, following a fall of 0.9% in April - revised down from an earlier estimate of a 0.6% decline - while production output fell 0.6%.

The dominant services sector stagnated, compared to a 0.3% uptick seen a month previously.

The services sector also showed no growth in the three months to May, while production grew by 0.4% and construction by 0.2%.

Overall, GDP was flat in the three months to May when compared to the three months to February.

Monthly GDP is now estimated to be 0.2% above pre-pandemic levels in February 2020.

ONS director for economic statistics, Darren Morgan, said: "GDP fell slightly as manufacturing, energy generation and construction all fell back with some industries impacted by one fewer working day than normal.

"Meanwhile, despite the coronation Bank Holiday, pubs and bars saw sales fall after a strong April. Employment agencies also saw another poor month.

"However, services were flat overall with health recovering, with less impact from strikes than in the previous month, and IT also had a strong month.

"Across the last three months as a whole the economy showed no growth."

In corporate news, bootmaker Dr Martens (LON:DOCS) said trading since the start of the current financial year had been in line with expectations, adding that progress had been made rectifying the US warehousing fiasco that led to a series of profit warnings.

Elsewhere, Watches of Switzerland posted a big increase in full-year sales and profits. Group sales increased by 19% at constant currencies to reach £1.54bn, helped by an especially strong showing in the US.

That drove a 23% jump in statutory profits before tax to £155m, while free cash flow strengthened 30% to £146m. The watch retailer also reiterated its guidance for its 2024 financial year, voicing confidence in the outlook for organic growth, even as it continued "to actively pursue additional inorganic growth opportunities to enhance that growth”.

Read more on Sharecast.com

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.