Analysts at Nomura, the Japanese investment bank, said it was "highly unlikely" that anti-Brexit politicians might derail the country's EU exit following UK Prime Minister Theresa May's decision yesterday to hold a snap general election.

Nomura's team said it was still expecting a "hard Brexit", but the forthcoming election increased the likelihood of a smooth transition to that outcome, by giving May more room to manoeuvre in negotiations with the rest of the EU on a transitional deal.