European markets got off to a good start ahead of the Easter weekend, with gains across the main indices. The FTSE 100 jumped 0.6% to 7,708, led by Flutter, Shell and BT.
The latter is an interesting situation as its share price has been slowly creeping higher this year, up by 33%. BT customers have seen the cost of landlines and broadband go up to help cover the extra costs incurred by the business including energy and labour charges, but the telecoms group is far from firing on all cylinders.
The latest figures on US employment could move the market later today. This year has started strongly, with 504,000 non-farm-based jobs created in January and another 311,000 in February.
Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said: “The market will look to the March number and also any revisions to January and February to take the temperature of the US economy. Upward revisions usually indicate strength, downward revisions can be suggestive of a weakening or loss of economic momentum.”
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