Britain's blue-chip index expected to open higher after sharp fall in sterling

Britain's blue-chip index is expected to open higher on Wednesday following a sharp fall in sterling overnight after British lawmakers voted down a proposal in parliament that aimed to prevent a potentially chaotic "no-deal" Brexit. The exporter-focused FTSE 100, which makes 70 percent of its income abroad, is seen up 35 points at 6,869, according to financial spreadbetter IG.

The index is often boosted by a weaker domestic currency because its multinational companies earn a big portion of their revenue abroad in foreign currency. The CAC 40 and Germany's DAX 30 are see lower.