Fed rates will remain in focus as the minutes of the central bank's September meeting are due to be published later, while US inflation data is due tomorrow. The FTSE 100 was flat at 9am today.

Among stocks, BP Plc is up 1.4% after its chief executive Bernard Looney resigned after less than four years at the helm of the oil major after admitting that he failed to fully disclose relationships with colleagues.

Meanwhile, Travis Perkins is down 8.9% after issuing a second profit warning in three months, hampered by the house building slowdown.

Things to read today:

The Fed tool that is having a powerful impact (Financial Times)

The world is hurtling towards another financial crisis, and the IMF is in denial (Daily Telegraph)