Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

London pre-open: Stocks seen lower as China Covid crisis weighs

(Sharecast News) - UK shares were set to open lower on the last day of a tumultuous trading year as fears over the spread of Covid cases in China combined with a lifting of border restrictions by Beijing continued to spook investors. With the local market set for a half-day ahead of the New Year holiday, the FTSE 100 was seen opening 0.29% lower to close out a 12 months that has seen Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, which in turn helped to fuel post-Covid pandemic inflation, which pushed global interest rates higher, which added up to a battering for equities. The Footsie is set to post a gain for the the year of around 1.7%.

US stocks thumbed their collective nose at 2022 with a rally on Thursday as investors went bargain hunting. Crude oil prices fell as a surge of Covid cases in China exacerbated fears of global economic downturn.

There was no major corporate news to report. The UK government was still prevaricating over whether to demand negative Covid test results from an expected influx of travellers from China. The US, Italy and Japan have already imposed the requirement.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

London midday: FTSE stays down; Auto Trader hit by downgrade
(Sharecast News) - London stocks were still in the red by midday on Friday, having taken their opening cue from a downbeat close on Wall Street.
London open: FTSE edges down after US losses; Landsec in focus
(Sharecast News) - London stocks edged lower in early trade on Friday following a downbeat close on Wall Street.
London pre-open: Stocks seen lower after Wall Street losses
(Sharecast News) - London stocks were set to fall at the open on Friday following a downbeat close on Wall Street.
London close: Stocks mixed as ex-divs drag on FTSE
(Sharecast News) - London stocks ended mixed on Thursday, following a flurry of corporate news and a focus on US unemployment figures.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.