FTSE 100 Up Nearly 1% On Encouraging Earnings Updates

RTTNews | Před 10 dny

(RTTNews) - U.K. stocks are up firmly in positive territory Thursday morning amid easing concerns about trade, as the U.S. and EU appear set to strike a deal sometime soon. Investors are also reacting to earnings updates and the latest batch of regional economic data.

The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 85.87 points or 0.91% at 9,147.36 about a quarter before noon.

Howden Joinery is soaring 11.6%, buoyed by strong first-half earnings. The company said that its pre-tax profit rose 4.4% to 117 million pounds for the six months ended June 2025.

Reckitt Benckiser is climbing up nearly 11%. The consumer healthcare and hygiene power-house upgraded its full-year guidance after a strong performance in the first-half.

BT Group is gaining about 8% after naming Patricia Cobian, currently with rival Virgin Media O2, as its first female chief financial officer.

Airtel Africa is up nearly 7%. Vodafone Group is gaining 4.7% after the telecommunications company launched a €500 million share repurchase program that will run through November 10, 2025.

Babcock International, Diploma, Standard Chartered, Kingfisher, Ashtead Group, AstraZeneca and Barclays are gaining 2 to 2.5%.

Lloyds Banking is modestly higher after reporting a 5% rise in first-half profit.

SSE is down 2.1%. Fresnillo, Endeavour Mining, 3i Group, Intercontinental Hotels and Melrose Industries are down 1.25 to 2%.

On the economic front, according flash estimates, the UK S&P Global Composite PMI fell to 51 in July from 52 in the previous month. The expansion was supported by the services sector (51.2 vs 48.2 in June), offsetting a softer decline for the manufacturing sector (48.2 vs 47.7).

A report from the Confederation of British Industry showed business confidence in the United Kingdom increased to -27 points in the third quarter of 2025 from -33 points in the second quarter of 2025.

Another report from the same bureau said that the UK's total order book balance rose slightly to -30 in July 2025, up from -33 in June,

South Korea Shares May Extend Losing Streak

The South Korea stock market has moved lower in back-to-back sessions, tumbling more than 135 points or 3.9 percent along the way. The KOSPI now sits just shy of the 3,120-point plateau and it's likely to take further damage on Monday.

RTTNews | Před 10 minutami

Japan Monetary Base Data Due On Monday

Japan will on Monday release July figures for monetary base, highlighting a very light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In June, the base was down 3.3 percent on year.

RTTNews | Před 1 h 10 min

U.S. Dollar Falls As Weak Jobs Data Lifts Rate Cut Hopes

The U.S. dollar weakened against its major counterparts in the New York session on Friday, as weaker-than-expected jobs data for July strengthened expectations of a Fed rate cut in September.

RTTNews | Před 2 dny

European Stocks Close Sharply Lower As Trump's Tariff Move Hurts Sentiment

European stocks tumbled on Friday, recording one of their worst sessions in several months, as sweeping fresh tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump raised fears of a global economic slowdown, prompting investors to press selling across the board.

RTTNews | Před 2 dny

Canadian Market Remains Firmly Down In Negative Territory On Tariff Worries

The Canadian market got off to a weak start Friday morning and slipped deeper into the red subsequently, as U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff announcement rendered the mood bearish.

RTTNews | Před 2 dny

U.S. Construction Spending Unexpectedly Sees Further Downside In June

The Commerce Department released a report on Friday unexpectedly showing a continued decrease by U.S. construction spending in the month of June. The report said construction spending fell by 0.4 percent to an annual rate of $2.136 trillion in June after sliding by 0.5 percent to a revised rate of $2.144 trillion in May.

RTTNews | Před 2 dny

U.S. Consumer Sentiment Improves Marginally Less Than Previously Estimated In July

Revised data released by the University of Michigan on Friday showed consumer sentiment in the U.S. improved marginally less than previously estimated in the month of July. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index for July was downwardly revised to 61.7 from a preliminary reading of 61.8. Economists had expected the index to be upwardly revised to 62.0.

RTTNews | Před 2 dny

U.S. Manufacturing Index Unexpectedly Dips To Nine-Month Low In July

Manufacturing activity in the U.S. unexpectedly contracted at a slightly faster rate in the month of July, according to a report released by the Institute for Supply Management on Friday. The ISM said its manufacturing PMI edged down to 48.0 in July after inching up to 49.0 in June with a reading below 50 indicating contraction.

RTTNews | Před 2 dny

EURUSD	1.15841	GBPUSD	1.32805	AUDUSD	0.64659
USDJPY	147.252	USDCAD	1.37802	USDCHF	0.80417

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FTSE 100 Up Nearly 1% On Encouraging Earnings Updates