UK stocks: factors to watch on October 6
EWU•FTSE 100 futures were up 0.6%, pointing to a higher open. Informa said it would acquire Clarion for £2.24 billion and separate Taylor & Francis, while Clarkson forecast annual underlying pretax profit above market expectations.
1. Market and company news
Britain’s FTSE 100 was seen opening higher, with futures up 0.6%. Informa said it would acquire B2B events firm Clarion for £2.24 billion and separate its academic publishing arm, Taylor & Francis. Clarkson forecast annual underlying pretax profit above market expectations, citing elevated freight rates and geopolitical complexity. AstraZeneca said it would spend more than $1 billion in Massachusetts as part of its broader $50 billion U.S. investment plan.
2. Other factors
The head of the UK medicines regulator said AI-based medical devices would need constant monitoring after approval. Oil prices made slight gains as Middle East security concerns supported a geopolitical risk premium; gold eased as the dollar strengthened and Treasury yields rose, while copper edged up.
