FTSE 100 today: Index opens flat as U.K. GDP falls; Pound above $1.35; Tesco gains
Investing.com -- British shares were mostly flat at the open on Thursday after official data showed that the country's gross domestic product shrank by 0.3% in April, partially offsetting the 0.7% expansion recorded in the first quarter.
.As of 0715 GMT, the blue-chip index FTSE 100 gained 0.01% and the British GBP/USD fell 0.07% against the dollar to above 1.35.
Meanwhile, DAX index in Germany dropped 0.8%, the CAC 40 in France dipped 0.5%.
The U.K. economy experienced a notable decline in April, weighed down by rising energy costs and increased taxes.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, gross domestic product fell by 0.3% during the month, a steeper drop than the anticipated 0.1% and a partial reversal of the 0.7% growth recorded in the first quarter.
On a yearly basis, GDP rose 0.9%, easing from the previous month's 1.1% gain.
Tesco (OTC:TSCDY) reports Q1 sales growth
Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO) posted a 5.5% rise in group like-for-like sales for the first quarter of its 2025-26 fiscal year, driven by solid performance across its businesses in the U.K., Republic of Ireland, Booker, and Central Europe.
Total group sales, excluding fuel and VAT, reached £16.38 billion for the 13-week period ending May 24.
Halma exceeds profit expectations
U.K. engineering firm Halma PLC (LON:HLMA) posted stronger-than-expected results for the fiscal year ending March 31, with adjusted pretax profit up 16% to £459.4 million and revenue rising 11% to £2.25 billion.
These figures beat analyst forecasts, and the company's EBIT margin improved to 21.6%.
Halma said fiscal 2026 has started well, projecting upper single-digit organic revenue growth and margins slightly above the midpoint of its 19%–23% target range.
Wood Group extends Sidara takeover deadline
John Wood Group PLC (LON:WG) has granted Sidara more time to decide on a potential takeover, extending the deadline to make a firm bid or withdraw from the process to June 30.
The extension allows Sidara to further develop its offer for the engineering consultancy.
Crest Nicholson posts steady H1 results
Crest Nicholson Holdings plc (LON:CRST) posted encouraging results for the first half, signaling that its updated strategic approach is yielding positive outcomes amid evolving conditions in the housing market.
The company completed 739 homes during the first half of 2025, including those from joint ventures, marking a 6% decline from the previous year. Private sales, including bulk transactions, dropped to 107 units, down 40% from 177 in the same period last year.
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FTSE 100 LIVE: Stocks drop and oil prices soar as Israel strikes Iran in major escalation
The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) and European stocks dropped and oil prices spiked as markets opened on Friday, as traders react to a major escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel overnight. Israel's military said Iran has fired about 100 drones towards its territory following an assault by Israel overnight. The question now turns to how much worse things could get. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz called the move 'preemptive", while the country's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would last until the threat is removed. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Israel "should anticipate a severe punishment" following overnight strikes which targeted nuclear sites and killed several military commanders, the BBC reported. Oil futures spiked as much as 10%. Brent crude (BZ=F) traded 5% higher on Friday morning, hitting $72.76 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) rose 5% to $71.47 a barrel. The FTSE 100 fell 0.6% at the opening bell. Oil, mining and defence stocks were at the top of the index, with BAE Systems (BA.L) and BP (BP.L) adding 3.1% and 2.1% respectively amid the turmoil in the Middle East. The DAX (^GDAXI) in Germany pulled 1.4% lower following data that confirmed May's inflation rate had hit 2.1%. The inflation rate had been at 2.2% in April. The French CAC 40 (^FCHI) dipped 1.1%, while the pan-European STOXX 600 (^STOXX) was down 0.9% in early trade. Pedro Goncalves writes: Gold prices surged to their highest level in nearly two months on Friday, lifted by heightened geopolitical tensions following Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The escalation in the Middle East conflict spurred demand for traditional safe-haven assets, putting bullion on track for a weekly gain. Gold futures gained nearly 1% to $3,435.20 per ounce at the time of writing, while the spot gold price advanced 2% to $3,414.79 per ounce. "The geopolitical escalation adds another layer of uncertainty to already fragile sentiment," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo. The Israeli government declared a state of emergency, warning of imminent missile and drone attacks from Iran. Meanwhile, the US military is reportedly preparing for a range of scenarios, including potential evacuations of American civilians from the region, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "This latest spike in hostilities in the Middle East has taken the focus off trade negotiations for now, with investors making a play towards safe-haven assets in response," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. "Gold surged past resistance around $3,400 on news of the airstrikes, and further upside could be in-store should the escalation continue," he added. The rally in gold has been further underpinned by growing expectations of monetary policy easing in the US. Recent data showing elevated jobless claims and muted producer price inflation have increased speculation that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates, making non-yielding assets such as gold more attractive to investors. Asian markets sank late Thursday evening as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading to widespread sell-offs as investors sought safer assets. Japan's Nikkei (^N225) pulled 0.9% lower by the closing bell on Friday, while the Hang Seng (^HSI) in Hong Kong declined 0.9%. Korea's Kospi (^KS11) was also 0.9% in the red. US stock futures fell on Friday morning as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading oil prices to spike as the Israeli defense minister declared a state of emergency. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) dropped 1.2%. S&P 500 futures (ES=F) plunged 1.3%, and those attached to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) sank 1.5%. On Thursday night, Israel conducted what it called a "preemptive strike" against Iran, citing fears over development of nuclear weapons in Tehran. Explosions erupted across the Iranian capital, reports said. Crude oil (CL=F) soared 8% as the strikes hit the third largest producer in OPEC+. The safe-haven asset of gold (GC=F) jumped as much as 1%. Hello from London. Lucy Harley-McKeown here, ready to bring you the markets and business news of the day. It's already been a busy week, with the UK government spending review and various other geopolitical events. Coming up today: German inflation data EU trade balance data Let's get to it. Pedro Goncalves writes: Gold prices surged to their highest level in nearly two months on Friday, lifted by heightened geopolitical tensions following Israeli airstrikes on Iran. The escalation in the Middle East conflict spurred demand for traditional safe-haven assets, putting bullion on track for a weekly gain. Gold futures gained nearly 1% to $3,435.20 per ounce at the time of writing, while the spot gold price advanced 2% to $3,414.79 per ounce. "The geopolitical escalation adds another layer of uncertainty to already fragile sentiment," said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo. The Israeli government declared a state of emergency, warning of imminent missile and drone attacks from Iran. Meanwhile, the US military is reportedly preparing for a range of scenarios, including potential evacuations of American civilians from the region, a US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. "This latest spike in hostilities in the Middle East has taken the focus off trade negotiations for now, with investors making a play towards safe-haven assets in response," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. "Gold surged past resistance around $3,400 on news of the airstrikes, and further upside could be in-store should the escalation continue," he added. The rally in gold has been further underpinned by growing expectations of monetary policy easing in the US. Recent data showing elevated jobless claims and muted producer price inflation have increased speculation that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates, making non-yielding assets such as gold more attractive to investors. Asian markets sank late Thursday evening as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading to widespread sell-offs as investors sought safer assets. Japan's Nikkei (^N225) pulled 0.9% lower by the closing bell on Friday, while the Hang Seng (^HSI) in Hong Kong declined 0.9%. Korea's Kospi (^KS11) was also 0.9% in the red. US stock futures fell on Friday morning as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading oil prices to spike as the Israeli defense minister declared a state of emergency. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) dropped 1.2%. 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Frontier Developments Leads The Way Among 3 UK Penny Stocks
The UK market has recently faced challenges, with the FTSE 100 index closing lower following weak trade data from China, highlighting the interconnectedness of global economies. Amid these broader market fluctuations, investors may find opportunities in penny stocks—an investment area that remains relevant despite its somewhat outdated name. These stocks often represent smaller or newer companies and can offer growth potential at lower price points when backed by strong financials. 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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include AIM:FDEV AIM:JNEO and AIM:LIT. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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FTSE 100 LIVE: Stocks drop and oil prices soars as Israel strikes Iran in major escalation
The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) and European stocks dropped and oil prices spiked as markets opened on Friday, as traders react to a major escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel overnight. Israel's military said Iran has fired about 100 drones towards its territory following an assault by Israel overnight. The question now turns to how much worse things could get. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz called the move 'preemptive", while the country's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would last until the threat is removed. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Israel "should anticipate a severe punishment" following overnight strikes which targeted nuclear sites and killed several military commanders, the BBC reported. Oil futures spiked as much as 10%. Brent crude (BZ=F) traded 5% higher on Friday morning, hitting $72.76 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) rose 5% to $71.47 a barrel. The FTSE 100 fell 0.6% at the opening bell. Oil, mining and defence stocks were at the top of the index, with BAE Systems (BA.L) and BP (BP.L) adding 3.1% and 2.1% respectively amid the turmoil in the Middle East. The DAX (^GDAXI) in Germany pulled 1.4% lower following data that confirmed May's inflation rate had hit 2.1%. The inflation rate had been at 2.2% in April. The French CAC 40 (^FCHI) dipped 1.1%, while the pan-European STOXX 600 (^STOXX) was down 0.9% in early trade. Asian markets sank late Thursday evening as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading to widespread sell-offs as investors sought safer assets. Japan's Nikkei (^N225) pulled 0.9% lower by the closing bell on Friday, while the Hang Seng (^HSI) in Hong Kong declined 0.9%. Korea's Kospi (^KS11) was also 0.9% in the red. US stock futures fell on Friday morning as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading oil prices to spike as the Israeli defense minister declared a state of emergency. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) dropped 1.2%. S&P 500 futures (ES=F) plunged 1.3%, and those attached to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) sank 1.5%. On Thursday night, Israel conducted what it called a "preemptive strike" against Iran, citing fears over development of nuclear weapons in Tehran. Explosions erupted across the Iranian capital, reports said. Crude oil (CL=F) soared 8% as the strikes hit the third largest producer in OPEC+. The safe-haven asset of gold (GC=F) jumped as much as 1%. Hello from London. Lucy Harley-McKeown here, ready to bring you the markets and business news of the day. It's already been a busy week, with the UK government spending review and various other geopolitical events. Coming up today: German inflation data EU trade balance data Let's get to it. Asian markets sank late Thursday evening as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading to widespread sell-offs as investors sought safer assets. Japan's Nikkei (^N225) pulled 0.9% lower by the closing bell on Friday, while the Hang Seng (^HSI) in Hong Kong declined 0.9%. Korea's Kospi (^KS11) was also 0.9% in the red. US stock futures fell on Friday morning as an Israeli attack on Iran shook global markets, leading oil prices to spike as the Israeli defense minister declared a state of emergency. Futures attached to the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) dropped 1.2%. S&P 500 futures (ES=F) plunged 1.3%, and those attached to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) sank 1.5%. On Thursday night, Israel conducted what it called a "preemptive strike" against Iran, citing fears over development of nuclear weapons in Tehran. Explosions erupted across the Iranian capital, reports said. Crude oil (CL=F) soared 8% as the strikes hit the third largest producer in OPEC+. The safe-haven asset of gold (GC=F) jumped as much as 1%. Hello from London. Lucy Harley-McKeown here, ready to bring you the markets and business news of the day. It's already been a busy week, with the UK government spending review and various other geopolitical events. Coming up today: German inflation data EU trade balance data Let's get to it. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
