London pre-open: Stocks seen lower amid rising geopolitical tensions

London stocks were set for a negative open on Friday as geopolitical tensions intensified after the US military struck a Syrian airfield near Homs and as investors exercised caution ahead of the non-farm payrolls report.

The FTSE 100 was expected to open 13 points lower at 7,290.

US President Donald Trump said he ordered the missile strikes following the deadly chemical attack that took place earlier in the week.

CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said: "The action adds a complexity to geopolitics that wasn’t there before given Russia’s support for Syria and Trumps pre-election pledges to try and repair relations with Putin.

"The US would now appear to be on a collision course with Russia as Tillerson went on to add that there was no prospect that Assad could remain Syria’s leader in light of the use of chemical weapons, and markets in Europe are likely to reflect this escalation in tensions with a lower open and higher gold prices as safe haven assets attract capital flows."

On the data front, UK manufacturing and industrial production figures are due at 0930 BST, along with the trade balance.

Meanwhile, the non-farm payrolls report and the unemployment rate are at 1330 BST.

In corporate news, Intertek Group said it has completed the acquisition of KJ Tech Services GmbH, a leading provider of vehicle, component, lubrication and fuel testing services based in Germany.

KJ Tech, founded in 1989, is based in Griesheim and employs approximately 100 people. The business generated revenues of c. €9.7m in 2016, Intertek said.

Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust announced that it has agreed to raise a total of £125m in long term, fixed rate, senior, unsecured private placement notes, denominated in sterling.

The company said the purpose of the transaction was to obtain long-dated unsecured sterling denominated financing at what the company believed to be attractive pricing levels, with the intention of enhancing shareholder returns over the long term.

Hunting chief executive Dennis Proctor will step down from the role in 2017 once a replacement has been appointed, the oilfield services provider announced on Friday.

Proctor, who will remain in the role until a handover process has been completed, has led the FTSE 250-listed group for 16 years.