Free of charge actual time breaking information alerts despatched straight to your inbox signal as much as our breaking information emails
Signal as much as our free breaking information emails
Signal as much as our free breaking information emails
The FTSE 100 outperformed European and US friends on Friday, ending a record-breaking week at one other new excessive.
“Two months in, it appears like 2026 may very well be a second bumper 12 months in a row for traders placing their religion in UK shares if present efficiency traits proceed,” mentioned Russ Mould, funding director at AJ Bell.
The FTSE 100 index ended up 63.85 factors, 0.6%, at 10,910.55, a document shut.
It had earlier hit a document intra-day excessive of 10,934.94, and is up 9.6% for the 12 months so far.
The FTSE 250 ended up 38.15 factors, 0.2%, at 23,757.15, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.30 factors, 0.5%, at 819.53.
For the week, the FTSE 100 rose 1.1%, the FTSE 250 was barely greater, and the AIM All-Share climbed 0.9%.
London’s positive factors got here regardless of renewed losses on Wall Avenue as traders weighed stronger-than-forecast wholesale inflation information, and assessed rising stress between the US and Iran.
The Dow Jones Industrial Common was down 1.0%, the S&P 500 index was 0.6% decrease, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.9%.
In accordance with the US Bureau of Labour Statistics the producer value index (PPI) rose 0.5% in January on-month, the identical tempo of progress as reported in December.
The annual fee of progress cooled to 2.9% from 3.0%.
FXStreet consensus had forecast headline progress of 0.3% on-month and annual progress of two.6%.
Excluding meals and vitality, the PPI rose 0.8% on-month in January, surprisingly choosing up tempo from 0.7% in December. The annual fee of progress sped as much as 3.8% from 3.3%.
FXStreet consensus forecast core PPI would rise 0.3% on-month giving an annual enhance of three.0%.
After folding in January CPI and PPI figures, Barclays estimates that core PCE inflation – the Federal Reserve’s favoured inflation gauge – rose 0.4% on-month and three.1% on-year in January.
Oil costs jumped as Iran mentioned that with the intention to attain a deal the US should drop its “extreme calls for”, tempering the optimism expressed after current talks which had been seen as a last-ditch bid to avert warfare.
The Oman-mediated talks adopted repeated threats from US President Donald Trump to strike Iran, and with the US conducting its greatest army build-up within the area in many years.
Mr Trump on February 19 gave Iran 15 days to succeed in a deal, and whereas Iran has insisted the discussions focus solely on its nuclear programme, the US desires Tehran’s missile programme, its ballistic missile capabilities, and its assist for militant teams curtailed.
The Wall Avenue Journal reported on Thursday that Mr Trump’s negotiating staff would demand that Iran dismantle its three foremost nuclear websites and hand over all its remaining enriched uranium to the US.
On Friday, the US authorised the departure of non-emergency embassy workers from Israel, whereas rising fears of battle spurred China to hitch different nations in warning its residents to depart Iran “as quickly as attainable”. The UK too withdrew its embassy workers from Iran.
Brent oil traded greater at 72.71 {dollars} a barrel on Friday afternoon, up from 72.58 {dollars} on the identical time on Thursday, and sharply greater from 70.00 {dollars} on the time of the fairness shut in New York.
The oil value energy supported BP, up 0.7%, and Shell, up 1.6%.
The geopolitical uncertainty gave a elevate to the gold value, supporting Fresnillo, up 3.4%, and Endeavour Mining, up 2.3%.
However the US-Iran worries and the rising oil value put airways underneath strain.
British Airways proprietor IAG was down 7.4%,regardless of robust annual outcomes, and price range airline easyJet was down 2.6%.
Gold firmed to five,235.52 {dollars} an oz on Friday from 5,180.61 {dollars} on Thursday.
In European equities on Friday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed down 0.5%, whereas the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended barely decrease.
The pound was decrease at 1.3458 {dollars} on Friday afternoon, from 1.3513 {dollars} on the equities shut on Thursday.
The euro stood greater at 1.1818 {dollars}, from 1.1792 {dollars}. In opposition to the yen, the greenback was buying and selling decrease at 156.05 yen, in contrast with 156.20 yen.
The yield on the US 10-year Treasury narrowed to three.98% on Friday from 4.03% on Thursday. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury trimmed to 4.64% from 4.68%.
London Inventory Trade Group rose 4.2%, and led blue-chip risers, on additional reflection of Thursday’s outcomes.
Financial institution of America performed down fears of AI disruption to LSEG’s enterprise.
“The market fails to distinguish between software program and information suppliers like LSEG, the place it’s partnering with AI brokers,” BofA mentioned.
Rightmove superior 4.3% because it introduced a complete dividend for 2025 that was greater than anticipated, alongside a share buyback programme because it highlighted it entered 2026 “with confidence”.
The Milton Keynes-based on-line property portal mentioned pre-tax revenue climbed 12% to £290.0 million in 2025 from £258.4 million in 2024.
“The shares have been weighed down by broader AI considerations, however we see no proof of any influence. We count on one other stable 12 months of progress, supported by additional product growth that ought to strengthen its market place,” analysts at Peel Hunt mentioned.
However Melrose plummeted 12% after its annual earnings.
Citi analyst Charles Armitage mentioned the share value fall was an “over-reaction and primarily as a result of enhance in factoring from £338 million to £396 million”.
Melrose bears argued that on account of the rise in factoring, the aerospace agency “really” produced £67 million of free money circulate final 12 months, relatively than the £125 million reported, and therefore missed the £100 million plus steerage.
However Mr Armitage defined that factoring “was within the £100 million (plus) steerage – this isn’t a miss”.
On the FTSE 250, Senior leapt 20% after it confirmed receipt of two money bids, greater than gives the agency had beforehand turned down this 12 months.
Non-public fairness investor Creation Worldwide, primarily based in Boston, Massachusetts, subsequently confirmed it was one of many events.
Nevertheless it was one other powerful day for traders in Hays, which fell 9.6%.
The recruiter, which has seen its share value plummet 43% within the final 12 months, reported a decline in first-half earnings and mentioned it has kicked off a seek for a brand new boss, after Dirk Hahn’s rapid resignation as chief govt.
Lastly, Wizz Air nosedived 8.7%, after Indigo Companions LLC reported the sale of a £125 million chunk of the low-cost service.
The largest risers on the FTSE 100 had been Diageo, up 76.5p at 1,662.5p, Rightmove, up 18.6p at 447.4p, BT, up 8.9p at 216.8p, London Inventory Trade Group, up 360p at 8,860p, and Fresnillo, up 136p at 4,240p.
The largest fallers on the FTSE 100 had been Melrose Industries, down 74.2p at 565.8p, IAG, down 33.6p at 423.7p, Hikma Prescription drugs, down 59p at 1,314p, Barclays, down 19.8p at 452.85p, and Intercontinental Resorts Group, down 4.25p at 137.5p.
Monday’s world financial calendar has a slew of producing PMI stories plus UK mortgage approvals information.
Monday’s UK company calendar has full-year outcomes from lender Financial institution of Eire, distribution and companies firm Bunzl and medical know-how agency Smith & Nephew.
Contributed by Alliance Information
