Skip to content

CFDs are leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your deposits, so please consider our Risk Disclosure Notice and ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. CFDs are leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your deposits, so please consider our Risk Disclosure Notice and ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

FTSE 100 futures climb higher as leaders ease Covid-19 lockdown measures

FTSE 100 futures are trading higher on Tuesday, with global equities rising as world leaders look to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

FTSE 100 Source: Bloomberg

FTSE 100 futures are trading 1.5% higher on the back of rising European and US equities after world leaders look to ease coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

Hopes of easing lockdown measures, helped lift both the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 1.5% in early morning trading on Tuesday, with both benchmarks expected to close in positive territory.

Oil prices also rebounded, with Brent crude up 12% to $30.65 per barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbing 15% to $26.37 a barrel.

The FTSE 100 closed 1.6% higher on Tuesday to 5849.42 points, while the more domestically-focused FTSE 250 rose marginally at 16,093.14.

Investors can trade the FTSE 100 directly, non-stop from Sunday 11:02pm to Friday 10pm thanks extended hours and weekend trading available on IG’s platform.

Oil markets face long-term damage due to aviation crisis

The rise in oil prices helped lift global equities, but the commodity’s surge is likely to be short-lived, with Covid-19 leaving aircraft grounded around the globe and pushing the airline industry into unchartered territory.

The airline industry is one of the major sources of oil demand, but with world leaders instigating travel bans in a bid to halt the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, the price of the black stuff has hit record lows in recent weeks.

Despite the easing of lockdown restrictions, travel bans will likely remain in place for some time, leaving the airline industry in a precarious position and prompting Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway to sell all of holdings in airline stocks.

‘I don't know whether two or three years from now that as many people will fly as many passenger miles as they did last year,’ Buffett said during a virtual shareholders' meeting.

‘They may and they may not, but the future is much less clear to me about how the business will turn out through absolutely no fault of the airlines themselves,’ he added.

Covid-19 weighs heavily on IAG and easyJet share prices

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global economy to a grinding halt, with members of the airline industry bearing the brunt of crisis.

Since the start of the year, International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) and easyJet have seen their share prices fall more than 62%, with analysts constantly downgrading their forward-looking assessments for both airlines.

Goldman Sachs downgraded its rating for IAG from ‘buy’ to ‘neutral’ in May and lowered its target price for the stock to 250p, implying potential upside of 28%.

IAG closed at 195p per share on Tuesday.

Analysts took an even dimmer view of easyJet’s prospects for 2020, with Morgan Stanley, Goodbody and Mainfirst all downgrading the stock in April.

Morgan Stanley remains the most optimistic about easyJet’s share price trajectory, with the US-based investment bank settling with a target price of 800p for the stock.

However, analysts from Mainfirst were particularly downbeat about the low-cost airline, lowing its price target to 450p, implying the stock has a potential downside of -16%.

easyJet is trading at 537p per share at the time of publication.

How much does it cost to buy UK shares with IG?

There are two ways to ‘buy’ UK shares with IG: trading CFDs or buying physical shares. The cost will depend on which method you choose. The table below illustrates how the costs to get exposure to £10,000 of Lloyds stock, which is equivalent to 16,000 shares (quoted at 62.5p a share).

Remember, CFDs are derivatives, which come with higher risk and reward than investing.

Cost to get exposure to Lloyds stock

CFD trading Share trading
Action Buy 16,000 share CFDs Buy 16,000 shares
Capital required to open £2000 £10,000
Total fees £20.88 £16

Ready to start trading shares? Open a live account or practise on a demo.


The information on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG Bank S.A. accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients. See full non-independent research disclaimer.

React to global volatility

Market volatility continues as coronavirus dominates the global agenda. Trade with us to take advantage of:

  • Tight spreads – from just 1 point on major indices, and 2.8 on US crude
  • Guaranteed stops – they’re free to use, and you’ll only pay a small fee if they’re triggered
  • Round-the-clock assistance – our highly skilled teams are available when you need support

Live prices on most popular markets

  • Forex
  • Shares
  • Indices

Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.

You might be interested in…

Find out what charges your trades could incur with our transparent fee structure.

Discover why so many clients choose us, and what makes us a world-leading provider of CFDs.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar.