FTSE 100 seen higher as Asian markets climb, US futures rise

The FTSE 100 is seen 0.6% higher today after shedding 0.3% on Monday.
Oil and gas supermajor BP (LON:BP) emerged atop the leaderboard with a 3.5% advance. Retailer Marks & Spencer (LON:MKS), publisher Pearson (LON:PSON) and temporary power provider Aggreko (LON:AGK) followed with gains of 2.6%, 2.4% and 2.1% respectively. Quality and safety services provider Intertek (LON:ITRK) and retailer Tesco (LON:TSCO) added more than 1.5%. Security services company G4S (LON:GFS), clothing retailer Next (LON:NXT) and defence contractor Cobham (LON:COB) tacked on just over 1%.
Banking group Barclays (LON:BARC), miner Eurasian Natural Resources (LON:ENRC) and Royal Bank of Scotland (LON:RBS) lost nearly 3%. Other base metal miners Xstrata (LON:XTA), BHP Billiton (LON:BLT) and Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) lost slightly more than 2%, as did African Barrick Gold (LON:ABG), Essar Energy (LON:ESSR) and software developer Autonomy Corp (LON:AU).

Markets in the US were closed yesterday for the Independence Day holiday.

Asian markets were in buying mode today. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.2%, China’s Shanghai Composite Index advanced 1.1%, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.8%, South Korea’s KOSPI climbed 0.6% and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 1.3%.
Commodities
Oil prices inched lower this morning. August Brent Crude declined to US$71.59/barrel, while US light, sweet crude for August delivery moved down to US$72.07/barrel.
Precious metals were mixed. Silver advanced to US$17.82/oz, while gold and platinum slid to US$1,208/oz and US$1,504/oz respectively.
Base metals fell into the same pattern. Copper and zinc were flat, while nickel rose to US$8.54/lb.
ISM (Institute of Supply Management) manufacturing data is due out in the US today. Futures for the Dow Jones index in the US were up 0.3%, pointing to a higher start on Wall Street.

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