The FTSE 100 edged higher as markets awaited a European Central Bank (ECB) rate cut after US inflation all but confirmed the cost of borrowing would be reduced next week.
London’s blue-chip index rose 0.2%, or 16 points, to 8,318 as interest rates came into focus in the US and Europe. The ECB is expected to trim the base rate by another 0.25 percentage points today.
‘While some speculated about a more aggressive 50 basis point cut, a measured approach seems more likely, leaving the door open for further easing in 2025,’ said StoneX analyst Fawad Razaqzada.
