FTSE 100 Live: Motor finance in focus for Close Bros, Trustpilot results reviewed

7.16am: FTSE 100 on course to extend gains

The FTSE 100 is on course to extend its gains on Tuesday as Ukraine peace talks and the US Federal Reserve meeting are on the agenda.  

London’s blue-chip index is tipped to add around 24 points on futures markets, having risen almost 48 point to finish at 8,680.3 yesterday. 

Overnight, the major US stock indices finished higher despite a 1% decline for the ‘Magnificient 7’ tech giants, led by a near-5% fall for Tesla and 1.8% drop for Nvidia, whose boss gives a big presentation later today.  

As a result the Dow Jones rose 0.85%, the S&P 500 added 0.6% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq just 0.3%. 

Asian markets are in green this morning, with gains again led by the Hang Seng and Nikkei, up 2.2% and 1.2%. 

Market analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya at Swissquote Bank says: “there is growing hope that the US efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine will be successful – a development that could restore trade relations between Russia and the EU, ease energy prices in Europe and support growth.”

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are due to speak today.

5am: What to watch on Tuesday

Close Brothers investors will be braced for provisions for the ongoing motor finance inquiry but these results are far from the end of the story…read more

Trustpilot shares have been on the slide in the run-up to results, but some analysts see no reason for the underperformance versus the rest of the sector…read more

Announcements due on 18 March:

Interims: Close Brothers Group PLC, Eagle Eye Solutions Group PLC

Finals: Atalaya Mining PLC, Computacenter PLC, Fintel PLC, Genel Energy PLC, H&T Group PLC, Harworth Group PLC, Light Science Technologies Holdings PLC, Midwich Group PLC, Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) Ltd, Pebble Group PLC, RM PLC, Sabre Insurance Group PLC, Sig PLC, Trustpilot Group PLC, Workspace Group PLC, YU Group PLC

US earnings: Xpeng Inc, Tencent Music

AGMs: Gresham House Renewable Energy

Economic news: Balance of Trade (EU), ZEW Economic Sentiment (EU), Building Permits (US), Housing Starts (US), Industrial Production (US), Business Inventories (US)