London stocks were set to gain at the open on Monday amid hopes the longest US government shutdown in history could be coming to an end.
The FTSE 100 was called to open around 80 points higher.

Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said: "Last week was a tough one: it was marked by a cocktail of rare but discouraging US data. Falling yields failed to lift risk appetite, and better-than-expected tech earnings couldn't lure investors back on board. OpenAI even suggested that the US could warrant its trillion-dollar debt - I mean, it was a disaster.

"But this morning, things look calmer. The news that the US government shutdown could finally come to an end lifts market sentiment, after the Senate put together the 60 votes needed to push the deal through its first stage.

"It's only the opening act in what could still be a drawn-out political drama, but investors are seizing on any sign of progress to end the longest US government shutdown in history and feed on data - data they need to understand where the US economy stands, where inflation and jobs are headed, and what the Federal Reserve (Fed) should do next."

In corporate news, global fund administration platform JTC said it had agreed a £2.3bn takeover by private equity firm Permira, beating interest from rival Warburg Pincus.

JTC shareholders would receive £13.40p a share, below Friday's closing price of £13.58. Shares in the company have surged from 897p on August 13 when Permira made its first offer.

Drinks giant Diageo said it has named Haleon chair Dave Lewis as its next chief executive.

Lewis, the former chief executive of Tesco, will take up the role on 1 January 2026, replacing Debra Crew, who quit in the summer. Haleon independent director Vindi Banga will replace Lewis as chair of consumer drugs firm.

Airport hospitality group SPP announced the retirement of its chair Mike Clasper after five and a half years at the helm.

As SSP finalises a multi-year strategic review, Clasper said now was the right time to step away "to enable the appointment of a new chair who can help realise the full scale of these ambitions in the years ahead".

Clasper, who joined as a non-executive director in November 2019 before being appointed chair in February 2020, will step down at the company's AGM in January.