Live Markets: London before the bell: Quiet start
01/05/2026 07:42
Adds new blog entry Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of markets brought to you by Reuters reporters. You can share your thoughts with us at markets.research@thomsonreuters.com LONDON BEFORE THE BELL: QUIET START With most major European equity markets closed on Friday for the Labour Day holiday, trading is likely to be quiet in the day ahead. Of Europe's major bourses, just London is scheduled to open on Friday. Futures on the FTSE FFIc1 are down about 0.2%. Investors instead might have their eyes elsewhere, such as energy or FX markets. It was a wild day for currencies yesterday, particularly the yen JPY=, after Japan intervened to strengthen its currency, sources told Reuters. Tokyo officials have warned that they stand ready to step in again. Yesterday's intervention caused a sharp rise in the currency after it had earlier fallen close to a two-year low. In energy markets, Brent crude futures LCOc1 are rising again as efforts to end the Iran war stalled, with the ceasefire still holding for now. In corporate news, British bank NatWest NWG.L reported a 12% rise in first-quarter profit, while Pearson PSON.L said underlying group sales rose 4% in the quarter. (Samuel Indyk) ***** EARLIER ON LIVE MARKETS: NEVER MIND THE OIL, FEEL THE EARNINGS! CLICK HERE The Magnificent Seven versus the market https://www.reuters.com/graphics/AUTOMATED-20260429/INDEXES-MAG7-COMPARISON-YTD/zdpxggwzbvx/chart.png The strength of the yen https://www.reuters.com/graphics/AUTOMATED-20260430/YEN-VS-DOLLAR-SINCE-1990/klpyllrkdvg/chart.png