European markets open flat as cautious traders await Brexit showdown
European markets opened flat this morning, as traders remained cautious ahead of a crucial three days for Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.
The FTSE 100 is trading down at 0.2 per cent, with Anglo American and Glencore taking the biggest gains while Reckitt Benckiser leads the fallers after posting mixed results.
The Dax and Cac were down 0.07 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively.
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The pound has been showing slight volatility since the opening bell, with the price of sterling hovering below $1.30.
Investors are keeping a keen eye on events in Westminster today, as the government’s Brexit deal faces its first parliamentary hurdle.
Johnson is attempting to push through the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which was published last night, in just three days.
Asian markets overnight showed slightly more optimism, with the main markets ticking up on hopes of an improvement to US-China relations.
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South Korea’s Kospi (KOSPI) rose 1.1 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) climbed 0.1 per cent.
China’s Shanghai Composite Index (SHCOMP), was about flat during afternoon trading.
Japanese markets were closed for a public holiday.