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353 stories mentioning FTSE 100Updated 2d ago

The UK benchmark swung on US-Iran peace-framework developments, ending one week up 1.63% but later closing 0.39% lower as a 60-day deal awaited signing.

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International

BRC: UK Retail Sales Gain 1% in July

Retail sales in the UK rose 1% year over year on a like-for-like basis in July, following a 1.7% increase in June, according to data from the British Retail Consortium published Tuesday.The reading, which missed the expected 1.6% gain for the month, corresponds to the slowest retail sales growth since February.BRC said consumers spent on summer clothes, home entertainment, and garden-related items during the warm weather, while keeping budgeting in mind. The FIFA World Cup also drove sales during the month.

FTSE 100
Asia Markets

British Equities Start New Week in Red as US-Iran Deal Hangs in Balance

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.29% lower on Monday as uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz weighed on investor sentiment, with conflicting signals from Iran over a potential shipping agreement with Oman.While Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions with Oman had reached the final stages, Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned that the waterway would remain closed until the US "corrects its behavior" and meets its demands."Correcting its behavior means that Iran must never again be threatened or humiliated, aggression against Iran and its allies must end permanently, the naval blockade must be lifted, US naval and air forces must withdraw from around Iran, war damages must be compensated, sanctions must be lifted and Iran's frozen assets must be released," said Mohammad-Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.In corporate news back home, Plus500 (PLUS.L) climbed 3.89% after forecasting 2026 revenue in line with the current market forecast of $811.5 million. The fintech group's interim profit attributable to equity holders for the six months ended June 30 rose year over year to $151.9 million from $149.6 million, while revenue increased 12% to $462.9 million.On the flip side, Imperial Brands (IMB.L) dropped 5.28%, making it the biggest loser on the blue-chip index, as Bloomberg News reported that it plans to lay off thousands of workers in Europe and the US as part of its cost-cutting measures.Serica Energy (SQZ.L) said its 0.326683 pound-sterling-per-share offer for oil and gas explorer and producer Pharos Energy (PHAR.L) is final and will not be increased. The statement came after Israel-based oil and gas explorer Ratio Petroleum raised its bid for the target and secured irrevocable undertakings from 41.76% of Pharos shareholders. Serica was up 3.66%, while Pharos lost 6.87%.Meanwhile, Vistry Group (VTY.L) slumped 11.28% after Financial Times reported the homebuilder could face a further cash squeeze if its insurer, Allianz Trade, adjusts credit limits for its suppliers. Vistry toldit was not aware of any suppliers withdrawing trade due to changes to credit insurance and had seen no interruptions to its supply chain. Allianz Trade said it is unable to disclose details about the companies it insures or has exposure to, citing the proprietary nature of the information.Looking ahead, investors will focus on Thursday's batch of UK economic data, including gross domestic product, business investment, industrial production, the trade balance and construction market numbers, among other releases.

FTSE 100$IMB.L$PHAR.L$PLUS.L$SQZ.L$VTY.L
International

KOF Global Barometers Diverge in August

The KOF Swiss Economic Institute's global economic barometers diverged in August 2026 but remained above the 100-point level, indicating continued "moderate" economic growth worldwide.The coincident global barometer edged down 0.4 points to 103.2 points, according to a Monday release. The leading barometer, meanwhile, reached its highest level since February 2022, increasing 2.7 points to 104.4 points.The decline in the coincident barometer was mainly due to negative contributions from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region and the Western Hemisphere. On the other hand, the rise in the leading barometer was largely attributed to the positive contribution from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region.

^DFMGI^FADGIFTSE 100^SSMI^SXXP^TASI
Asia Markets

London Shares End Week on High Note; Diageo Gains

British equities closed higher on Friday, with the FTSE 100 up 0.39%, as investors weighed stable UK housing data, while strength in mining shares and optimism following Diageo's capital markets day lifted the blue-chip index.Precious metals miners led the advance, with Fresnillo (FRES.L) rising 5.30% and Endeavour Mining (EDV.L) gaining 4.06%, making them the top performers on the index.Meanwhile, British alcoholic beverage company Diageo (DGE.L) gained 3.23% following its capital markets day on Thursday, during which it provided updates on its restructuring, operating framework, and financial targets."In our view, the financial targets are ambitious but achievable, and the plan is to turn around the North American business while growth is supported by the rest of the world. There are big plans for RTDs (ready to drink beverages) and key mainstream brands in the US to unlock growth, with significant reinvestment primarily in innovation and competitiveness. Investment in pricing will remain very selective, and management emphasised on several occasions that no margin or profit rebase is required," Berenberg said in a flash note.Meanwhile, JD Sports Fashion (JD.L) appointed former Ahold Delhaize Chair Peter Agnefjäll as its new permanent chair, succeeding interim Chair Darren Shapland from Sept. 1. The sports, fashion and outdoor brands retailer closed 2.28% in the green.In economic news, average house prices in the UK were unchanged in July, compared with a 0.2% uptick in June, according to data published by Lloyds. Analysts expected a 0.2% rise for the month."More broadly, average house prices have remained relatively stable for almost two years, moving within a narrow range over that period and sitting just +0.5% higher than they were in November 2024," said Lloyds Head of Mortgages Amanda Bryden. "Looking ahead, we expect market activity and house prices to remain relatively stable over the remainder of the year."Looking ahead to next week, investors will turn their attention to a batch of UK economic data, including provisional second-quarter GDP figures and June industrial production.

FTSE 100$DGE.L$EDV.L$FRES.L$JD.L
International

Lloyds: UK Monthly Average House Prices Stable in July

Britain's average house prices held steady month over month in July, after a 0.2% increase in June, according to data from Lloyds published Friday.Analysts expected a 0.2% rise for the month.On a yearly basis, average house prices in the UK were up 0.1%, compared with the revised 0.7% growth earlier and the expected 0.4% gain.

FTSE 100
Asia Markets

UK Shares Close Lower; EasyJet Gains on Apollo's Takeover Offer

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.14% lower on Thursday as investors assessed a fresh batch of corporate earnings and monitored signs of progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz.In the latest development, Iran said it had reached an agreement with Oman on a proposed shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, with a joint statement in the final drafting stage. Officials added that the arrangement would be temporary and would not constitute a full reopening of the waterway.In corporate news, Persimmon plc (PSN.L) jumped 3.21% after first-half profit attributable to equity holders jumped year over year to 119.8 million pounds sterling from 100 million pounds. The homebuilder's total revenue increased to 1.73 billion pounds from 1.50 billion pounds."A solid set of interim results from Persimmon, with volume growth of 13% and underlying operating profit up 10% demonstrating that its proactive self-help strategy continues to deliver in a challenging market," RBC Capital Markets said. "With FY volume guidance narrowed to the upper end of previous guidance at c.12,500, end and full-year [pretax profit] guidance in line with consensus, we expect the shares to perform well today given the H1 beat and proactive approach to cost control."On the contrary, Tritax Big Box REIT (BBOX.L) slumped 3.90% to become one of the worst performers on the blue-chip index after interim results, published after market close on Wednesday, missed consensus expectations. "EPRA [Net Tangible Assets] of 185.9p (-1% versus FY25) is 3.4% below consensus of 192.4p (December 2025: 187.8p), affected by a decline in property values and impairment in land options in the period. Adjusted EPS (excluding DMA income) of 4.41p increased by 7% yoy and is 4.6% below consensus of 4.6p," Berenberg said.EasyJet (EZJ.L) agreed to Apollo Global Management's 5.7 billion-pound-sterling takeover bid, while Castlelake said it does not intend to make an offer for the British budget airline after careful consideration. The scheme of arrangement is set to take effect by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2027. EasyJet gained 2.82% at close.On the economic front, Britain's construction sector remained in a downturn in July amid declines in residential and civil engineering activity levels. The UK Construction PMI came in at 44.7, up from 38.4 in the prior month and the consensus estimate of 40."July data suggests that the performance of UK construction sector has started to stabilise after a sharp downturn throughout the second quarter of 2026. Business activity levels continued to decline in all three main categories, but in each case the rate of contraction was much slower than in June," S&P Global Market Intelligence Economics Director Tim Moore said. "Survey respondents commented on signs of a turnaround in client demand and a revival in new tender opportunities in some cases, despite subdued underlying market conditions."

FTSE 100$BBOX.L$EZJ.L$PSN.L
International

S&P: UK's Construction PMI Downturn Slows in July

Britain's construction sector remained in a downturn in July amid declines in residential and civil engineering activity levels, S&P Global said Thursday.The S&P Global UK Construction PMI came in at 44.7, higher than 38.4 in the prior month and the consensus estimate of 40. The latest reading marks the slowest pace of reduction in overall output levels since March but remains below the neutral 50 threshold.

FTSE 100
Asia Markets

UK Shares Close Little Changed Amid US-Iran Peace Talks, Earnings Spree

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.08% in the green on Wednesday, underpinned by the potential for an interim peace deal between the US and Iran, encouraging economic developments, and more corporate earnings.US President Donald Trump said discussions with Iran were "moving along very nicely," with more clarity expected in 48 hours. Meanwhile, Axios reported that the US hopes to announce a 60-day interim agreement on Wednesday under which Iran and Oman would allow vessels to transit Gulf waters without fees, easing concerns over regional shipping.On the economic front, Britain's private sector returned to growth in July 2026, supported by stronger services demand and the fastest manufacturing output expansion since September 2024, S&P Global said. The final composite PMI rose to 52.2 from 49.3 in June, topping the flash estimate of 52.1 and moving back above the 50-point mark for the first time since April 2026."On a positive note, [service] business activity expectations picked for the second month running and reached the highest level since February. Stronger growth projections for the year ahead partly reflected hopes of de-escalating Middle East tensions and recent signs of easing inflationary pressures," S&P Global Market Intelligence Economics Director Tim Moore said.In corporate news, retailer Next (NXT.L) rose 5.74% to lead the FTSE 100 after better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter trading prompted the company to raise its full-year guidance. Next now expects fiscal 2027 pretax profit of 1.24 billion pounds, up from its previous forecast of 1.22 billion pounds, while post-tax EPS is projected to increase to 8.129 pounds from 7.929 pounds."NEXT has released a Q2 trading update this morning which is stronger than expected, driven by very strong International sales. We think this should be supportive for an ongoing gradual re-rating, as NEXT transitions to become valued more as a global growth retailer," RBC Capital Markets said.Coca-Cola HBC (CCH.L) gained 3.92% after reaffirming its outlook and saying it expects organic revenue growth at the top end of its 6% to 7% guidance range. The Coca-Cola Co. bottler also reported first-half attributable profit of 524.4 million euros, up from 470.6 million euros a year earlier, as net sales revenue rose to 6.23 billion euros from 5.62 billion euros.In other news, Caixin Global reported that China is expanding its personal income tax regime to include returns from Hong Kong insurance policies. The report said Chinese tax authorities are already imposing a 20% tax on dividends and interest from offshore policies in early enforcement cases, sending shares of Prudential (PRU.L), HSBC (HSBA.L) and Standard Chartered (STAN.L) down 6.39%, 4.67% and 1.60%, respectively, by the closing trade.

FTSE 100$CCH.L$HSBA.L$NXT.L$PRU.L$STAN.L
International

UK's International Reserves Fall in July

The UK government's gross reserve assets declined to $220.13 billion in July from $225.75 billion in June, according to Bank of England data published Wednesday.The amount consists of $123.10 billion in foreign currency reserves, $7.36 billion in International Monetary Fund reserve position, $38.92 billion in special drawing rights, $40.38 billion in gold, and $10.36 billion in other reserve assets.

FTSE 100
International

Final PMI: UK Private Sector Returns to Growth in July

Britain's private sector rebounded in July 2026, as new services orders climbed for the first time in five months, while manufacturing output expanded the most since September 2024.The S&P Global UK Composite PMI increased to 52.2 from 49.3 in June and the flash estimate of 52.1, according to final data published Wednesday. The index weighed in above the 50-point neutral mark for the first time since April.Meanwhile, the services PMI was 52.1, compared with the previous 48.8 and the preliminary reading of 51.8. The reading remained below the index's long-run average of 54.2.

FTSE 100
International

SMMT: UK's New Car Sales Up 11.7% in July

The UK's new car registrations climbed 11.7% year over year to 156,571 units in July, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders published Wednesday.For the seven months to July, new car sales in Britain totaled 1,294,499 units, up 9.5% annually.

FTSE 100
Equities

1947 Oil & Gas Plans GBP50 Million Fundraise Amid Listing on London Bourse's AIM

1947 Oil & Gas on Wednesday unveiled a plan to raise 50 million pounds sterling as it seeks admission to the AIM market of the London stock exchange.The oil and gas production company is planning to issue 500 million new ordinary shares at 0.10 pound apiece for the fundraise, according to a same-day filing.Shares of the company are expected to commence trading on the bourse in August under the ticker symbol 1947. Market capitalization on admission is projected at 65 million pounds.In line with the listing, the company agreed to buy US-based oil and gas production company Renaissance Offshore, which holds interests in 11 shallow-water Gulf of America fields. The acquisition will be completed upon the company's trading debut, partially financed using net proceeds from the fundraise.

FTSE 100
Asia Markets

UK Shares Advance on Earnings, Corporate Developments

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.20% higher on Tuesday as investors digested a flurry of earnings reports, corporate updates and deals from several heavyweight companies.Halma (HLMA.L) was one of the top gainers on the blue-chip index, jumping 5.47%, after the safety technology group completed the sale of its NovaBone Products business and subsidiaries to Isto Biologics for $60 million.Meanwhile, Segro (SGRO.L) rose 1.44% after agreeing to the terms of a recommended share offer from Prologis (0KOD.L) that values the UK logistics property company at 14.3 billion pounds sterling, including its proposed 2026 final dividend. The deal is expected to complete in the first half of 2027, subject to approvals. Prologis' London-traded shares fell 1.53% at the end of the session.Defense contractor BAE Systems (BA.L) also gained 1.91% after securing a three-year contract worth 135 million pounds from the UK government to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons.On the flip side, medical technology company Smith & Nephew (SN.L) was the FTSE 100's worst performer, falling 6.27%, after lowering its 2026 revenue growth guidance to 4% from 6%. "Poor wound (slightly surprising) and Ortho hip (not unexpected) performances are negative, but since neither sell nor buyside believed the c.6% guide, a cut here will probably be taken quite well (we would have expected to c.5%, not c.4% though), and the bottom line protection saves an EPS cut," RBC Capital Markets said.HSBC (HSBA.L) declined 0.80% despite posting upbeat second-quarter results and plans for an up to $1 billion share buyback. "HSBC printed a solid set of Q226 numbers," BofA Global Research said, maintaining its buy rating and raising its price objective for the stock. "[Pretax profit] ex notable items was 5% ahead of consensus, driven by higher income. ... Buyback restarted this quarter as per management guidance, at $1bn (vs Visible Alpha consensus c.$2bn)."In geopolitical news, Qatar said a proposal for a US-Iran agreement had been drafted, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Tuesday that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be reached "today or tomorrow."

FTSE 100$0KOD.L$BA.L$HLMA.L$HSBA.L$SGRO.L$SN.L
Asia Markets

British Equities Fall; AstraZeneca Slides on Reported Bristol Myers Squibb Merger Talks

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.16% lower on Monday as declines in oil prices weighed on energy stocks, while heavyweight AstraZeneca (AZN.L) slumped after reports of potential merger talks with US peer Bristol Myers Squibb.Brent crude fell after President Donald Trump called off a planned strike on Iran following intervention from Gulf allies, easing fears of a wider conflict. Washington is also expected to resume negotiations with Tehran later Monday.On the economic front, the UK's manufacturing sector remained in growth territory in July for the ninth consecutive month on the back of upturns in production, new business and new export orders, S&P Global said. Still, the final S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI stood at a four-month low of 51.9, down from the prior 52.5 and the flash estimate of 52.8, as stocks of purchases declined and jobs growth slowed."[The] positive price and demand trends were not fully reflected in the labour market, with the upturn in manufacturing hirings grinding to a near halt in July, but the first rise in backlogs of work in over four years suggests employment could pick up in the coming months. This would be assisted if business optimism recovers from its current subdued level. Hopefully progress relating to geopolitics, global trade tensions and the direction of the new UK government's industrial and tax policies will aid, and not hinder, this process," S&P Global Market Intelligence director Rob Dobson said.Investors will next turn to UK new car registration data and the final composite PMI on Wednesday, followed by construction PMI on Thursday and the Lloyds house price index on Friday.In corporate news, AstraZeneca was the worst performer on the blue-chip index, losing 9.33% at close, after London's Financial Times cited sources as saying that the drugmaker is in talks with Bristol Myers Squibb over a potential $400 billion merger.BP (BP.L) declined 0.34% after completing the sale of its refinery and related businesses in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, to independent refiner Klesch Group. The oil major said the disposal is expected to reduce its underlying operating expenditure by about $1 billion, in line with its capital allocation strategy.Among the gainers, wealth manager St. James's Place (STJ.L) rose 2.85% after launching a share buyback program worth 128.1 million pounds sterling.

FTSE 100$AZN.L$BP.L$STJ.L
S&P: UK Final Manufacturing Growth Eases in July Amid Slower Hiring, 'Steep' Stock Reductions
US Markets

S&P: UK Final Manufacturing Growth Eases in July Amid Slower Hiring, 'Steep' Stock Reductions

The UK manufacturing sector recorded its ninth straight month of expansion in July, though overall momentum decelerated as slower job creation and a "steep" decline in stocks of purchases tempered gains in factory output.The final S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI came in at a four-month low of 51.9, below the prior 52.5 and the flash estimate of 52.8, S&P Global said Monday. While rising production prompted some manufacturers to hire, cost-cutting efforts and cautious outlooks dragged overall job growth down to its weakest level in four months.As average vendor lead times increased at the slowest rate since February, UK factories pulled back on buying activity for the first time since March and saw both raw material and finished product stocks decline for a second straight month.Concurrently, factory production surged to a near two-year high across consumer, intermediate and investment goods, amid the eighth consecutive month of rising domestic and export orders. However, the expansion was uneven, with growth among medium- and large-sized companies contrasting with a slight decline in production volumes for small-scale manufacturers.Growth in both input costs and selling prices further cooled as supply chain headwinds and input demand softened. Despite the easing trend, manufacturers reported higher costs across some materials, including food, metals and packaging."These positive price and demand trends were not fully reflected in the labour market, with the upturn in manufacturing hirings grinding to a near halt in July, but the first rise in backlogs of work in over four years suggests employment could pick up in the coming months. This would be assisted if business optimism recovers from its current subdued level. Hopefully progress relating to geopolitics, global trade tensions and the direction of the new UK government's industrial and tax policies will aid, and not hinder, this process," S&P Global Market Intelligence Director Rob Dobson said.

FTSE 100
International

S&P: UK Final Manufacturing PMI Down in July

The UK's manufacturing sector remained in growth territory in July on the back of upturns in production, new business and new export orders, although there was a reduction in stocks of purchases and jobs growth slowed.The final S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI stood at 51.9, against the prior 52.5 and the flash estimate of 52.8, S&P Global said Monday. The latest reading marks the ninth straight month the index came in above the neutral 50 threshold.

FTSE 100
Asia Markets

UK's FTSE 100 Ends Week Lower; NatWest Jumps

British equities wrapped up the week on a downbeat note, with the FTSE 100 falling 0.27% on Friday's close, as investors assessed a fresh batch of corporate earnings and deal activity.NatWest Group (NWG.L) was the top gainer of the blue-chip index, closing 3.22% up, after reporting growth in both attributable profit and total income for the six months ended June 30. "The company did not announce a buyback in line with previous commentaries (consensus nil), but management have said that post Evelyn they will start to consider buybacks from FY26 results (prev H1'27)," RBC Capital Markets noted.On the other hand, International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG.L), d/b/a IAG, closed 1.53% in the red after posting a lower profit for the first half. The airline holding company reported a year-over-year increase in total revenue, but warned that capacity for full-year 2026 is expected to be flat compared with the previous year."We do not expect the 2Q beat to translate into a FY26E consensus upgrade (with consensus at (EUR)4.52bn for EBIT preexceptionals in FY26E above RBCe of (EUR)4.31bn). Capacity guidance has been trimmed, and we think the more bullish end of the market was hopeful that more than ~60% of higher fuel costs could be recovered in FY26. However, whilst IAG's outlook could clip the higher end of consensus, we don't expect a significant downgrade overall either, with recent fuel cost scenarios less bad than projected by consensus, and with consensus forecasting a ~13% operating margin in FY26, within the 12-15% guided range," RBC said in another note.Meanwhile, HSBC's (HSBA.L) HSBC Bank Australia subsidiary agreed to divest a portfolio of Australian home loans and personal loans with a total book value of AU$36 billion to Virgo BidCo, which is owned by funds managed by affiliates of Blackstone. Completion of the transaction is expected in the first half of 2027. The stock was down 0.69% at the session's close.In economic news, Nationwide Building Society's data showed that the annual growth rate of housing prices in the UK came in at 1.8% in July, compared with 2.2% in June."Market activity and house prices have remained soft in recent months, in part reflecting the uncertain economic backdrop. Geopolitical tensions remain high, with the conflict between Iran and the US again exerting upward pressure on energy prices and market interest rates in recent weeks. Financial market expectations for the future path of Bank Rate have been volatile, reflecting shifting views about the inflationary implications of events at home and abroad," said Nationwide Chief Economist Robert Gardner.In the Middle East, concerns persisted that the conflict between the US and Iran could widen after the latest round of attacks killed three Iranian soldiers, CNBC reported. Meanwhile, the US Senate rejected a resolution that sought to limit President Donald Trump's authority over military action against Iran.

FTSE 100$HSBA.L$IAG.L$NWG.L
International

Nationwide: UK Annual House Prices Up 1.8% in July

The annual growth rate of house prices in the UK slowed to 1.8% in July from 2.2% in the previous month, according to data from the Nationwide Building Society published Friday.The consensus estimate for the month was a 1.9% jump in housing prices.The average price of houses was 277,542 pounds sterling, up from 277,484 pounds a month ago.On a monthly basis, seasonally adjusted house prices were 0.1% higher, as expected, and against the zero growth earlier.

FTSE 100
Asia Markets

British Shares Fall as Central Bank Holds Rate; Rentokil Initial Plunges

The UK's FTSE 100 closed 0.10% lower on Thursday amid the Bank of England's latest monetary policy decision and a busy day of corporate earnings.The Monetary Policy Committee voted 6-3 in favor of keeping the key rate unchanged at 3.75%. "There is little evidence yet of second-round effects, although it is too early to take much comfort from that," BoE Governor Andrew Bailey said. "Holding Bank Rate is appropriate as global conditions look to be more uncertain and inflationary, while domestic conditions are on balance more benign as regards the prospects for inflation."In corporate news, Rentokil Initial (RTO.L) was the FTSE 100's worst performer, plummeting 20.60%, after reporting first-half attributable profit of $196 million, up from $188 million a year earlier, and a 6.7% increase in revenue to $3.59 billion. RBC Capital Markets described the results as "a mixed bag," saying it did not expect to materially change its forecasts but that the performance "isn't good enough today."Meanwhile, aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.L) jumped 6.01% to become the top stock of the blue-chip index after upgrading its 2026 underlying operating profit guidance to between 4.7 billion pounds sterling and 4.9 billion pounds from 4 billion pounds to 4.2 billion pounds previously.Shell (SHEL.L) fell 0.14% after second-quarter net income of $9.84 billion outperformed consensus of $8.92 billion and RBC's estimate of $9.08 billion. The energy major also reported stronger first-half results, driven primarily by higher prices amid the Middle East conflict, and launched a $3 billion share buyback program."A strong set of numbers for Shell, supported by the [liquefied natural gas] ramp up and supportive macro conditions for its trading division, culminating in Shell generating 5% of its market cap in [free cash flow] this quarter (after lease repayments, interest, capex etc). The forward guide looks heavily risked on upstream volumes and LNG liquefaction, however this has become the usual practice for Shell, before de-risking into trading updates," RBC said.Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L), up 3.86%, also beat second-quarter profit forecasts. "There was a 2% adj [pretax profit] beat vs consensus driven by lower-than expected total costs and higher-than-expected other income, which were partly offset by higher-than-expected impairments and operating lease depreciation," RBC said in another note. "On an adj pre-provision profit basis the results were a 3% beat vs consensus."In the US-Iran space, President Donald Trump ordered strikes on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps overnight, saying that "we'll be hitting them hard." The airstrikes were in response to Iranian attacks on a US base in Jordan.

FTSE 100$LLOY.L$RR.L$RTO.L$SHEL.L
Bank of England Holds Key Rate as Hawkish Members Grow Amid Middle East Conflict
US Markets

Bank of England Holds Key Rate as Hawkish Members Grow Amid Middle East Conflict

The Bank of England kept its key interest rate unchanged even as a growing number of policymakers sound the alarm on second-round effects from the continuing conflict between the US and Iran.Members of the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee voted six-three on Wednesday in favor of keeping the bank rate at 3.75%, with the dissenters calling for a 25-basis-point increase to 4%, the BoE said Thursday. Two policymakers had dissented during the previous meeting in June.The dissenters, which included the central bank's chief economist, Huw Pill, voiced concerns that second-round effects from the Middle East conflict could be material and suggested that a proactive increase in the interest rate would reduce the probability of such effects setting in.The committee, however, agreed that there is currently "little evidence" of material second-round effects in price and wage setting. Policymakers also cited persistently "clear signs of underlying disinflation" in the UK in recent data."Events in the Middle East mean that the short-run path of inflation is uncertain owing to volatile energy prices. The possibility of repeated resumptions of conflict, combined with lower than usual European gas stock levels and a fall in global refining output, mean that risks to energy prices lie to the upside," Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said."Set against that, the process of underlying disinflation that was intact prior to the conflict remains in train. That provides some tentative evidence that inherited inflation persistence may be weaker than had been presumed. Alongside this, the labour market continues to ease, and the demand environment remains soft."The BoE noted that annual inflation has dropped to 2.6% since its previous monetary policy meeting in June, although it is expected to rise again later in 2026 as the Middle East conflict continues to prop up energy prices. The central bank reiterated its commitment to ensure that inflation remains on track to meet its medium-term target of 2%.

FTSE 100

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