London stocks rise as a soft US jobs report eases fears over further interest rate rises

From the Newshound archive · first published 2 October 2026.

London markets climbed on Friday after a weaker-than-expected US jobs report calmed investor nerves over the pace of future interest rate rises. Global shares also gained and bond markets found support as oil prices fell. The data miss has raised hopes that the Federal Reserve will hold rates steady for longer.

Softer US employment figures have led investors to dial back expectations of further Fed rate hikes.

Oil prices dropped alongside the jobs data, adding to a broadly calmer mood across global markets.

Bond markets were among the day's biggest beneficiaries, gaining ground as rate-rise fears receded.