The FTSE is currently indicating a lower opening, as traders come back from their Christmas vacation. This will most likely be another quiet week, as most traders are taking two weeks off and will not be back until January 5th 2009. The FTSE is likely to spend most of the day in the red, on very low volumes.

Oil prices got a boost today, as Israeli air strikes raised concerns that supply may be disrupted from the Middle East, the world's largest producing region. Crude oil is currently trading around the 40 dollar per barrel level, with a strong possibility of dipping lower should the conflict subside.

Predicted opens as of 06:00 GMT
FTSE: 4215.0 (-18.9)
CAC40 3117.40 (-16.20)
DAX30 4637.6 (+11.40)
DOW: 8455 (-54)
SP500 866.20 (-6.75)
Gold: 884.35 (+15.95)
Oil: 39.08 (+1.26)

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