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| Yesterday’s UK 100 Leaders | Price (p) | % Chg |
| Glencore | 563.0 | 2.5% |
| Rio Tinto | 7,458.0 | 2.3% |
| Metlen Energy & Metals | 33.8 | 2.2% |
| Bunzl | 2,409.0 | 2.1% |
| Antofagasta | 3,782.5 | 2.0% |
| Yesterday’s UK 100 Laggards | Price (p) | % Chg |
| Melrose Industries | 500.0 | -6.1% |
| Reckitt Benckiser Group | 4,692.0 | -4.6% |
| JD Sports Fashion | 73.4 | -3.9% |
| Rolls Royce Holdings | 1,138.6 | -3.5% |
| International Consolidated Airlines Group | 378.9 | -3.4% |
| Major World Indices | Price | % Chg | 1 Year |
| UK 100 INDEX | 10,476 | 0.2% | 25.8% |
| DOW JONES INDUS. AVG | 49,490 | 0.7% | 26.3% |
| DAX INDEX | 24,195 | 0.3% | 13.6% |
| NIKKEI 225 | 59,586 | 0.4% | 70.9% |
| S&P/ASX 200 INDEX | 8,844 | 1.2% | 11.7% |
| Commodity | Units | Price | % Chg |
| WTI Crude Oil (Nymex) | USD/bbl. | 92.96 | 3.67% |
| Brent Crude (ICE) | USD/bbl. | 101.66 | 3.23% |
| Gold Spot | USD/t oz. | 4,740 | 0.4% |
| Copper (Comex) | USd/lb. | 619 | 1.9% |
Click graph to enlarge
The UK 100 is called to open -56 points at at 10,420. The UK 100 looks set to open lower this morning near 10,420 with crude strength offset by softer risk appetite. UK inflation sensitivity remains high given imported energy exposure.
Stocks retreated in Asia on Thursday after an initial jump that pushed Japan’s Nikkei 225 index above 60,000 for the first time, while oil prices gained as investors reacted to shaky prospects for more talks on ending the war with Iran.
Markets in Japan and South Korea briefly touched new records, driven by buying of tech shares. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 lost 1.5% to 58,707.60 after climbing to 60,013.98. South Korea’s Kospi was 0.1% lower at 6,414.57, giving up earlier gains after briefly surpassing 6,500. The government reported a better-than-expected 1.7% annual economic growth rate for the January-March quarter, boosted by strong exports, particularly of computer chips used in the artificial intelligence boom. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shed 1.1% to 25,865.88, while the Shanghai Composite index fell 0.8% to 4,073.71. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.8% to 8,770.70. Taiwan’s Taiex sank 1.6% and the Sensex in India lost 0.6%.
The S&P and Nasdaq finished at record levels on Wednesday after President Donald Trump extended the U.S. ceasefire with Iran, while upbeat earnings reports also lifted sentiment. The broad market index added 1.05% to finish at 7,137.90, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 1.64% to settle at 24,657.57. The latter had hit a new all-time intraday high in the session. The S&P had erased all of the Iran war losses last week. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones advanced 340.65 points, or 0.69%, to end the day at 49,490.03.
US futures also fell back after indexes on Wall Street rallied to records a day earlier, helped by strong corporate earnings.
J Sainsbury reported lower underlying profits for the past year, which it blamed competition to keep prices down in a competitive grocery market. The supermarket group’s retail underlying operating profit fell 1.1% to £1.025 billion for the 52 weeks to 28 February 2026, despite sales growth of 5.2% across its core grocery business. The decline reflects a deliberate decision not to pass on the full extent of cost inflation to shoppers, Sainsbury’s said, with a choice to increase spending on pricing, staff pay and store improvements. Total retail sales increase 4.3% to just under £30 billion, with volume growth and market share gains in grocery. Argos sales inched up 0.7% to £4.1 billion, while fuel sales fell 8.2% to £3.6 billion. Statutory revenues rose 2.7% to £33.65 billion, while profit after tax on continuing operations fell 1.7% to £414 million. The dividend was nudged up 0.7% to 13.7p and a £300 buyback was announced, including an additional £100 million from the proceeds of selling Sainsbury’s Bank last year.
London Stock Exchange Group said on Thursday it expects annual revenue growth at the upper side of its forecast range after its first-quarter revenue beat estimates on strength across its data and analytics and market platforms. “We have had a great start to 2026 across the board,” CEO David Schwimmer said in a statement, adding that the focus through 2026 will be on the roll-out and adoption of AI tools and services as part of LSEG’s ongoing strategy. The data and exchange operator is facing pressure from activist investor Elliott Management to close its valuation gap to industry peers and take more aggressive action to boost its performance. LSEG said total income grew 9.8% in the three months ended March, on an organic basis, excluding recoveries, compared with a rise of 8% expected by analysts in a company-compiled poll. The company expects to deliver total income growth at the upper half of its 6.5% to 7.5% forecast range for 2026, on an organic constant currency basis and excluding recoveries. LSEG left its 2026 margin forecast unchanged.
UK
Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) – Full Year Results
AJ Bell (AJB) – Trading Announcement
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) – Trading Announcement
London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) – Trading Announcement
ASOS (ASC) – Interim Results*
US
American Express (AXP) PMO
Blackstone (BX) PMO
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) PMO
Willis Towers Watson (WTW) PMO E
Gilead Sciences (GILD) AMC E
Intel (INTC) AMC
UK
Mondi (MNDI) – Trading Announcement
US
Aon (NYSE:AON) PMO E
Procter & Gamble (PG) PMO
SLB (SLB) PMO
EU Non-Monetary Policy ECB Meeting
German HCOB PMI
EU HCOB PMI
UK S&P Global PMI
US Initial Jobless Claims
US S&P Global PMI
US New Home Sales Change
ECB’s Nagel speech
UK 100 companies going ex-dividend on 23rd April 2026:
BAE Systems
Hiscox
Rolls-Royce
Rightmove
Fresnillo
Spirax Group
Legal & General Group
UK 250 companies going ex-dividend on 23rd April 2026:
Shaftesbury Capital
Derwent London
PPHE Hotel Group
Drax Group
Grafton Group
Rotork
Bridgepoint Group
Harworth Group
Wickes Group
International Public Partnerships
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