FTSE 100 closes flat after travel stocks decline, Sensex opens above 52,000 as Nifty on record high

Positive US jobs data helps Asian stocks open higher

UK tightens travel restrictions adding seven more countries to the red list (AFP via Getty Images)

London’s FTSE 100 ended close to a flatline on Friday after dipping around 30 points as airlines stocks weighed on the index following UK’s decision to tighten travel restrictions again.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed just four points ahead at 7,069 after recovering from day’s lows, while the domestically focused FTSE 250 also closed 0.1 per cent higher 22,832.

Financial stocks also slumped and Pershing Square Holdings and Standard Chartered bank were among the top losers.

British Airways owner IAG lost 0.9 per cent after the UK tightened travel restrictions again as concerns over the rise of the Delta variant of the coronavirus mounted. Portugal was removed from the green list, and seven more countries were added to the red list.

Meanwhile, US stocks climbed on Friday, led by gains in technology shares followed by positive monthly jobs report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 179 points, or 0.52 per cent, to 34,756, the S&P 500 gained 37 points, or 0.88 per cent, to 4,230.

The Nasdaq Composite added 200 points, or 1.47 per cent, to close at 13,814. All three indices rose for the week, with the Nasdaq posting its third straight weekly gain.

US employers increased hiring in May and raised wages as they competed for workers. But the non-farm payrolls increase of 559,000 jobs was below the 650,000 forecast of economists polled by Reuters.

On Monday, Asian stocks had a positive start, however, stocks in Mainland China and Hong Kong declined after early hours. Japan’s Nikkei 225 is 0.3 per cent higher and South Korea’s Kospi is 0.2 per cent above in the first half of the trade.

Indian indices opened higher as the Nifty 50 starts at a record high of 15,725, up 55 points, or 0.35 per cent. Sensex opened at 52,231 up 131 points, or 0.25 per cent.