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LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 extends slide as Brent crude tops USD90
- FTSE 100 Performance: Ended the week down 1.2% at 10,284.75, capping a 5.7% weekly loss.
- FTSE 250 & AIM All-Share: Closed down 0.9% at 22,500.95 and 0.5% at 784.70, respectively, with weekly losses of 5.3% and 4.2%.
- Oil Prices: Brent oil surged to USD90.85 per barrel, driven by Middle East tensions, including Kuwait halting energy production and attacks on oilfields in Iraq.
- US Jobs Report: Nonfarm payrolls fell by 92,000 in February, missing expectations, with unemployment rising to 4.4%.
- Inflation Concerns: Bank of America warned persistent oil price spikes above USD100 could trigger inflationary cycles.
- Bond Yields: UK 10-year gilt yields jumped to 4.61%, while US 10-year Treasury yields rose to 4.16% amid inflation fears.
- Currency Movements: Pound rose to USD1.3387, euro to USD1.1597, and gold climbed to USD5,142.35 per ounce.
- Stock Highlights: IMI rose 2.3% on a GBP500 million share buyback, while housebuilders like Barratt Redrow and Berkeley fell on fading rate cut hopes.
- Global Markets: European indices (CAC 40, DAX 40) and US markets (Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq) closed lower.
- Upcoming Events: Monday features China's inflation reading and US consumer inflation expectations report, plus Clarkson's full-year results.
LONDON MARKET MIDDAY: Oil climbs as conflict drives inflation fears
- London Stock Market:
- Mostly in the red midday on Friday, influenced by US employment data, the Iran war, and slower eurozone GDP growth.
- FTSE 100 down 0.5% at 10,358.26, FTSE 250 down 0.3% at 22,622.54, AIM all-share down 0.2% at 786.64.
- Rightmove led FTSE 100, up 3.2%, following Halifax's report of strong UK house price growth in February.
- Alliance Witan down 0.8% after reporting 2025 results, with NAV total return at 4.7%, trailing benchmark MSCI index.
- European Equities:
- CAC 40 in Paris down 0.6%, DAX 40 in Frankfurt down 0.5%.
- Eurozone GDP growth slower than estimated in 2025 (1.4%) and Q4 (1.2%), below February forecasts.
- Corporate Highlights:
- Avon Technologies (FTSE 250) up 4.1% after securing a USD12.7 million order for MILCF50 filters.
- Anemoi International (small-cap) up 60%, with stock price increasing fivefold in the last 12 months, following Trasna partnership announcement.
- Commodities & Currencies:
- Brent oil up significantly at USD88.69/barrel, driven by concerns over the Strait of Hormuz blockage.
- Gold higher at USD5,085.65/ounce, balancing safe-haven demand and macro headwinds.
- Pound up at USD1.3325, euro slightly lower at USD1.1565, dollar higher against yen at JPY157.93.
- US Markets & Economic Data:
- Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq called lower.
- US 10-year Treasury yield at 4.17%, 30-year at 4.77%.
- Upcoming US nonfarm payrolls report expected to influence interest rate expectations and gold prices.
LONDON BROKER RATINGS: ITV raised; JPMorgan ups AIB, Bank of Ireland
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- 6th Mar 2026 10:02
- The following London-listed shares received analyst recommendations Friday morning and on Thursday:
- FTSE 100
- RBC raises Rentokil Initial price target to 540 (500) pence - 'outperform'
- Goldman Sachs raises Rentokil Initial price target to 515 (495) pence - 'neutral'
- Goldman Sachs raises Aviva price target to 761 (754) pence - 'buy'
- Berenberg raises Admiral price target to 3,800 (3,750) pence - 'buy'
- Jefferies raises AstraZeneca price target to 18,000 (15,000) pence - 'buy'
- FTSE 250
- Peel Hunt cuts Unite Group to 'hold' (add) - price target 540 (650) pence
- RBC raises Taylor Wimpey price target to 155 (150) pence - 'outperform'
- Kepler Cheuvreux raises ITV to 'buy' (hold)
- JPMorgan raises ITV price target to 104 (103) pence - 'overweight'
- Bernstein raises ITV price target to 86 (75) pence - 'market-perform'
- Barclays raises ITV price target to 85 (84) pence - 'equal weight'
- Berenberg cuts WH Smith price target to 634 (657) pence - 'hold'
- Deutsche Bank Research cuts WH Smith price target to 575 (600) pence - 'hold'
- Deutsche Bank Research cuts PageGroup price target to 300 (400) pence - 'buy'
- Deutsche Bank Research raises Serco price target to 255 (245) pence - 'hold'
- Berenberg cuts Elementis price target to 200 (205) pence - 'buy'
- Deutsche Bank Research raises Funding Circle price target to 190 (180) pence - 'buy'
- RBC cuts Lancashire Holdings price target to 590 (625) pence - 'underperform'
- Citigroup raises Aberdeen price target to 235 (230) pence - 'neutral'
- SMALL CAP
- JPMorgan raises Bank of Ireland to 'neutral' - price target 17.80 (16.40) EUR
- JPMorgan raises AIB to 'overweight' (neutral) - price target 10.70 (9.90) EUR
- Related Shares:
LONDON MARKET OPEN: Stocks in green, oil prices stay elevated
- London Stock Market:
- Stock prices opened mostly higher on Friday, with FTSE 100 up 0.2%, FTSE 250 up 0.3%, and AIM all-share up 0.1%.
- IMI led the FTSE 100 with a 3.1% rise after announcing a £500 million share buyback and strong revenue/profit growth.
- Rightmove rose 1.8% following Halifax's report of UK house price growth.
- ITV led the FTSE 250 with a 7.4% increase after strong full-year earnings.
- Elementis fell 2.0% despite a 21% rise in pretax profit.
- Various Eateries opened 3.7% higher after acquiring pubs from Grosvenor Pubs and Inns for £11.3 million.
- UK Economic Data:
- UK house prices grew 1.3% annually (strongest in 4 months) but slowed to 0.3% monthly, according to Halifax.
- Retail footfall declined 4.7% year-on-year in February due to heavy rainfall.
- Global News:
- US-Israeli war with Iran entered its seventh day; first UK government-chartered evacuation plane arrived.
- US plans to introduce licensing for advanced chip exports, adding geopolitical uncertainty.
- Global Markets:
- European equities mixed: CAC 40 down 0.6%, DAX 40 up 0.5%.
- Asian markets: Nikkei 225 up 0.6%, Shanghai Composite up 0.4%, Hang Seng up 1.8%, S&P/ASX 200 down 1.0%.
- US markets ended lower on Thursday: Dow Jones down 1.6%, S&P 500 down 0.6%, Nasdaq down 0.3%.
- Commodities:
- Brent oil rose to $85.34/barrel, despite potential US measures to curb prices.
- Gold increased to $5,112.50/ounce.
- Currencies:
- Pound rose to $1.3374, euro to $1.1609, and dollar slightly lower against yen at ¥157.60.
- Upcoming Economic Data:
- Eurozone GDP release and US nonfarm payrolls/retail sales expected on Friday.
LONDON MARKET EARLY CALL: FTSE 100 up, rain knocks UK retail footfall
- London Stocks: Set to open higher on Friday, with FTSE 100 futures indicating a 0.5% rise (56.2 points) after a 1.5% decline on Thursday.
- UK Retail Footfall: Fell sharply in February (down 4.7% year-on-year) due to heavy rainfall, reversing January's modest improvement, according to BRC and Sensormatic data.
- Currency Movements: Sterling rose to USD1.3363, the euro to USD1.1606, and the dollar strengthened to JPY157.88 against the yen early Friday.
- Global Markets: Wall Street closed lower on Thursday (Dow -1.6%, S&P 500 -0.6%, Nasdaq -0.3%), while Asian markets rose on Friday (Nikkei +0.6%, Shanghai Composite +0.3%, Hang Seng +1.6%); S&P/ASX 200 closed down 1.0%.
- Commodities: Gold rose to USD5,118.00/ounce, and Brent oil traded higher at USD85.06/barrel early Friday.
- Middle East Tensions: Intense Israeli airstrikes hit Iran and Lebanon, with the US targeting an Iranian drone carrier. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.
- Corporate Calendar: IMI reports full-year results on Friday.
- Economic Calendar: Key releases include German factory orders, UK house price index (Halifax), and eurozone GDP.
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