Yesterday, the FTSE 100 took a 1.2% hit, while across the pond, US markets ended Tuesday on a sour note. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.9%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.3%, and the Nasdaq Composite nudged down 0.1%. Yet, the performance gap between US and global markets widened, despite the general gloom. France's CAC40 nosedived by 2.69%. Since the US presidential election results were confirmed, the Stoxx Europe 600 index has lagged behind the S&P 500 by about 6%, with a 2.5% drop versus a 3.48% rise. The MSCI AC Asia Pacific didn't fare much better, underperforming by 5%. The catalyst for this divergence? Donald Trump's return to the business arena.

His comeback, coupled with the Republican takeover in Congress, is shaking things up. The Senate has already flipped, and the House of Representatives is on the brink, with Republicans holding 216 seats to the Democrats' 207, just shy of the 218 needed for a majority. In his role as "president-elect"—though he won't officially take office until early 2025—Trump is already appointing his future administration. The appointees are divisive figures, poised to enforce the Republican leader's radical policies, tariffs included.

Today's economic calendar is set to unveil the US monthly budget statement, alongside the eagerly awaited CPI release, which will influence the Fed's decision on rates.

In corporate news, Engineering company Smiths Group jumped 12% to the top of the FTSE 100 after raising its full-year guidance. Organic revenue growth in the first quarter jumped to 16% from 3.5% the prior year.

Things to read today: