Name: European stocks soft, rand retreats | Market Minute
Uploaded: 2017-04-07T09:14:20.000Z
Duration: 1 min 8 s
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Here's what we're watching in London on Friday morning.

After a quiet week for top drawer economic data,

the quarter's ending with a flurry of reports.

Including UK GDP, US consumer confidence, and eurozone inflation.

And as they wait for these numbers, traders are in a cautious mood.

Global stocks fell a good quarter, but US equity futures are ending much lower,

dragging down European stocks after mostly losses in Asia.

Notable casualties are South African assets after President Jacob Zuma sacked his finance minister.

The last time it had a fall like this was the last time a finance minister was sacked.

Equities with significant exposure to South Africa are also under the cosh with falls to stocks like Old Mutual hitting the FTSE.

In other currency news, the dollar index remains above 100

as it continues to be supported by recent evidence that Fed and ECB policy divergence is very much alive.

This has halted gold's recent rally, leaving the bullion around 1,240 an ounce.

And oil prices are a bit softer, but by Brent and West Texas Intermediate, are back above $50 a barrel.