The FTSE rose 52 points (.61%), the DAX rose 80 points (.37%) and the CAC fell 14 points (.19%).
The Bank of England is expected to cut interest rates by .25% next week.
US markets were all up overnight.
The DOW rose 317 points (.71%), the NBI rose 113 points (2.50%), the NASDAQ Composite rose 38 points (.19%) and the Rusell small cap index rose 26 points (1.14%).
Notable rose in the NBI augers well for the biotech sector which has been in the doldrums for most of the last 12 months.
The tariff story just keeps bringing up new material every day. US imports surged in December as the threat of tariffs triggered a rush by American companies to import goods before tariffs were implemented. The US trade deficit ballooned to a 3 year high with increased imports and reduced exports. This is exactly the effect on what the tariffs were supposed to achieve so the tariff war has tended to backfire on the US at the moment.
US Treasury 10 year bond yield fell to 4.426%
Oil prices fell - Brent crude down to US$74.69 per barrel.
Gold price edged up to US$2,862. Gold is at near record highs due to its "safe haven" status.
BITCOIN is at US$97,311.
IMU Price at posting:
3.6¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Not Held
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