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FTSE 100 LIVE: London boosted by mining stocks as traders await crucial US jobs report

A deep dive into what's moving markets and happening across the global economy 

LaToya Harding · Business Reporter, Yahoo Finance UK

Wed 11 February 2026 at 6:00 pm GMT+9 2 min read

In this article:

GBP=X

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^N225

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The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) outperformed its European peers on Wednesday, boosted by commodity prices, after a lacklustre close on Tuesday. Firmer oil (BZ=F, CL=F) prices also supported the index and there were solid gains for basic resources stocks.

Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “On quiet days for earnings reports and economic data points, the [FTSE 100] index tends to act as a barometer for commodity prices. Gold (GC=F) prices have strengthened slightly and are at close to two-year highs, supported by strengthening sentiment around US rate cuts this year. Copper and oil are also providing a light tailwind today.”

“US stock futures are erring on the side of optimism ahead of jobs data expected later on. Hopes for a rate cut by the Fed next month have improved slightly after American retail sales unexpectedly flatlined in December, with shares in Costco (COST), Target (TGT) and Walmart (WMT) all ending down on Tuesday.”

It comes ahead of crucial non-farm payrolls data due later today, with forecasts for an increase in hiring from 50,000 in December to 70,000 in January.

The January jobs report usually features annual revisions, which could reveal significant downward adjustments. Fed chairman Jay Powell said in December its economists thought jobs growth was being overestimated by 60,000 a month since April.

Jobs growth in that period has averaged just 40,000 per month, meaning revisions could have a material impact on expectations for the Fed’s interest rate decision in March. Odds of a cut stand roughly at just one in five.

London’s benchmark index (^FTSE) was 0.2% higher in early trade.

Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) dipped 0.4% and the CAC (^FCHI) in Paris also headed 0.4% into the red.

The pan-European STOXX 600 (^STOXX) was down 0.2%.

Wall Street is set for a positive start with contracts on the S&P 500 (ES=F) and on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) both climbing 0.2%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) also rose 0.2%, coming off a third straight day of record closes.

The pound was 0.3% higher against the US dollar (GBPUSD=X) at 1.3631.

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Follow along for live updates throughout the day:

LIVE 2 updates

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10 mins ago 

LaToya Harding

 

 

Asia and US overnight
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The Nikkei (^N225) rose 0.25% on the day in Japan, while the Hang Seng (^HSI) fell 0.9% in Hong Kong. The Shanghai Composite (000001.SS) was 1.2% down by the end of the session.

 

In South Korea, the Kospi (^KS11) added 1.6% on the day.

 

Across the pond in Wall Street, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.5%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) was 0.7% higher. The Dow Jones (^DJI) also gained 0.5%.

 
    *    

29 mins ago 

LaToya Harding

 

 

Coming up
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Good morning, and welcome back to our markets live blog. As usual we will be taking a deep dive into what's moving markets, and what's happening across the global economy.

 

Looking at the day ahead, data releases include the US jobs report for January, and Italy’s industrial production for December.

 

Central bank speakers include the Fed’s Schmid, Bowman and Hammack, along with the ECB’s Cipollone and Schnabel.

 

Here's a snapshot of what's on the agenda today:

 

*    
    
    **7am:** Trading updates: Barratt Redrow, Renishaw, PZ Cussons, Severn Trent, MJ Gleeson
    
     
*    
    
    **1.30pm:** US non-farm payrolls for January
    
     
*    
    
    **3:30pm:** US Crude Oil Inventories
    
     
*    
    
    **5.30pm:** Bank of England policymaker James Talbot gives speech

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