FTSE 100 set to open marginally higher amid light corporate news and Ukraine talks.

The FTSE100 is expected to open around 9,100, with a subdued start due to a slow corporate news week. Updates from Aviva, Entain, Persimmon, and Bellway, along with unemployment data, are set to be released. The talks between Trump and Putin on ending the Ukraine war are unlikely to impact sentiment.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared Boeing's planned acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems, a move that is likely to reassure investors following a series of crises that have affected Boeing's finances and morale. The CMA decided not to refer the probe to a "phase 2" investigation, indicating that it does not view the deal as anti-competitive based on available data [1].

The acquisition, which involves Boeing buying back Spirit in a $4.7 billion all-stock deal, is expected to streamline Boeing's operations and improve quality control. Spirit, a world's largest standalone aerostructures company, has been independent for nearly two decades. The deal is anticipated to close in the fourth quarter of this year [1].

Meanwhile, the UK's jobs market continues to show signs of weakness. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) reported that private-sector hiring plans are the weakest since the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 57% of employers planning to recruit staff over the next three months. This is the lowest since the start of 2021. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) noted that starting salaries are growing at the slowest pace since 2021 [2].

Businesses cited higher taxes, the increased minimum wage, and weak growth as reasons for their hiring reticence. The CIPD economist James Cockett noted that planned changes to employment law, which make it harder to sack employees in their first two years, are also discouraging businesses from hiring younger, less experienced staff. These factors are compounded by broader headwinds such as weak domestic demand and residual uncertainty over U.S. trade tariffs [2].

The FTSE100 is expected to open around 9,100, with a subdued start due to a slow corporate news week. Updates from Aviva, Entain, Persimmon, and Bellway, along with unemployment data, are set to be released. The talks between Trump and Putin on ending the Ukraine war are unlikely to impact market sentiment significantly [3].

References:
[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/update-2-uk-regulator-clears-boeing-takeover-of-spirit-aerosystems-ce7c5edcd08af22d
[2] https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/uk-employers-report-weaker-hiring-pay-growth-july-2025-08-10/
[3] https://www.ft.com/content/91000000-91000000-91000000-91000000