The FTSE 100 opened 20.23 points higher at 10,725.49 as renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed oil prices above $105 per barrel, while rising US Treasury yields continued to weigh on risk appetite across European markets.
Brent crude futures rose 2.46% to $105.6 per barrel, and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) advanced 2.20% to $94.19 per barrel. Sterling was quoted at $1.3243 early Thursday, slightly lower from $1.3254 at the London equities close on Wednesday. Against the euro, sterling fell to €1.1628 from €1.1636 the prior day.
Gainers & Losers
- Top Gainers: JD Sports Fashion rose 2.18% to 75.84p, British American Tobacco advanced 1.91% to 4,278p, Antofagasta gained 1.50% to 3,802p, Glencore rose 1.48% to 560.70p, Bunzl added 1.28% to 2,686p, and BP increased 1.26% to 564.20p.
- Top Losers: Standard Life fell 3.83% to 890.50p, Computacenter dropped 1.37% to 5,405p, Pershing Square Holdings declined 1.20% to 3,616p, Admiral Group slipped 0.71% to 3,646p, Games Workshop Group fell 0.62% to 17,620p, and AstraZeneca edged 0.40% lower to 12,380p.
Vistry Shares Slump After Loss and Downsizing Plan
Vistry shares tumbled after reporting a £661 million pre-tax loss and announcing plans to downsize. The housebuilder fell as much as 7% to 248p in early trade. Adam Vettese, market analyst at eToro, commented, “This morning’s sell-off is the market calling time on another year of moving goalposts. Adam Daniels is doing the unglamorous work of shrinking Vistry to 12,000 homes, exiting South East private sales and cutting a land bank that was too big for the returns it produced. That is the right diagnosis; it does not make the next twelve months any cleaner.”
On the Beach Posts Record Booking Increase
On the Beach reported a 9% rise in bookings, bringing total transaction value to £1.3 billion, marking the fifth consecutive year of record highs. The summer booking rebound contributed to growth 4% ahead of the prior year, driven by customers purchasing trips closer to departure dates. Chief executive Shaun Morton attributed the uptick to strategic investments in technology and an expanded product offering. The company estimates pre-tax profit between £28 million and £35 million in the next financial year, but remains mindful of the impact the Iran war is having on consumer confidence.
Halma Raises Margin Outlook
Halma lifted its outlook for annual adjusted operating profit margin, citing strong first-half progress. The health and safety device maker now expects an adjusted EBIT margin of 23.5% to 24% for the year through March 2027, up from its previous guidance of around 22.7%. The company maintained its forecast for low double-digit percentage organic constant-currency revenue growth, including roughly five percentage points of premium growth from its photonics business.
Global Market Overview
In the US, the S&P 500 dropped 0.75% to close at 7,706.03, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.13% to 26,936.04. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 352.10 points, or 0.68%. In Asia on Thursday, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.76% to 65,513.99, while China’s Shanghai Composite dipped 1.22%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 0.29%, and South Korea’s Kospi edged up 0.9%. In India, both the Nifty 50 and the Sensex fell 1.61% and 1.60%, respectively.
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