The FTSE 100, the UK's blue-chip index, is anticipated to open higher today, Friday 4 September 2026, according to futures from investment platform IG. This follows a 0.7 per cent increase on Thursday, with the index closing at 10,831.
The expected rise comes as borrowing costs eased on Thursday night. The yield on 10-year gilts dropped to 5.16 per cent from 5.24 per cent on Wednesday, while the 30-year gilt yield decreased to 5.80 per cent from 5.87 per cent. Wall Street also saw a response to falling borrowing costs, with the US 10-year Treasury yield narrowing to 4.75 per cent from 4.79 per cent.
Oil prices finished Thursday broadly flat, with Brent crude ending the day around 0.1 per cent higher at $95 per barrel. AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould noted that a "measure of calm in government bond markets and a slight moderation in oil prices helped steady markets."