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| Yesterday’s UK 100 Leaders | Price (p) | % Chg |
| Intertek Group | 5,090.0 | 6.0% |
| Spirax Group | 7,372.0 | 3.9% |
| Polar Capital Technology Trust | 627.0 | 2.5% |
| BAE Systems | 2,077.0 | 2.1% |
| Compass Group | 28.8 | 2.0% |
| Yesterday’s UK 100 Laggards | Price (p) | % Chg |
| Entain | 531.2 | -6.5% |
| HSBC Holdings | 1,279.8 | -5.9% |
| Marks & Spencer Group | 321.5 | -4.8% |
| Fresnillo | 3,115.0 | -4.3% |
| Weir Group | 2,490.0 | -4.2% |
| Major World Indices | Price | % Chg | 1 Year |
| UK 100 INDEX | 10,219 | 1.4% | 18.9% |
| DOW JONES INDUS. AVG | 49,298 | 0.7% | 19.6% |
| DAX INDEX | 24,402 | 1.7% | 4.5% |
| NIKKEI 225 | 59,513 | 0.4% | 61.8% |
| S&P/ASX 200 INDEX | 8,680 | 0.2% | 6.5% |
| Commodity | Units | Price | % Chg |
| WTI Crude Oil (Nymex) | USD/bbl. | 102.27 | 3.90% |
| Brent Crude (ICE) | USD/bbl. | 110.47 | 3.47% |
| Gold Spot | USD/t oz. | 4,560 | 0.1% |
| Copper (Comex) | USd/lb. | 599 | 2.5% |
Click graph to enlarge
The UK 100 is called to open +117 points at at 10,336. The UK 100 looks set for a stronger open on Wednesday as easing geopolitical tensions and softer oil prices improve investor sentiment. Futures indicate the UK 100 will open around 116 points higher, or 1.1%, after Tuesday’s 1.4% decline.
Market sentiment improved after Donald Trump paused the US naval escort operation through the Strait of Hormuz just one day after its launch. Trump said the decision followed mediation efforts led by Pakistan and other nations, adding that “great progress” had been made in talks with Iran.
Analysts said the move reinforced expectations of de-escalation in the region, helping revive risk appetite across global markets.
Oil prices eased in response, with Brent crude falling to around $108.43 per barrel from $110.70 late Tuesday, reducing immediate inflation concerns tied to energy markets.
Overnight in the US, equities rallied, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.7%, the S&P 500 gaining 0.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite climbing 1.0%.
Asian markets also traded higher, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index up 0.9%, China’s Shanghai Composite rising 1.2%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 advancing 1.1%.
Diageo, the world’s top spirits maker, posted a surprise 0.3% growth in quarterly organic net sales on Wednesday, as strength in Europe and Latin America offset weakness in the U.S., its largest market. The Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness beer maker maintained its fiscal 2026 forecast and said it was mindful of the impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on energy, supply and distribution. CEO Dave Lewis, who earned the nickname “Drastic Dave” for his cost-cutting measures at Tesco and Unilever, has wasted no time in his new role at Diageo, slashing the firm’s sales forecast and halving its interim dividend in February. “North America remains our biggest challenge, where market conditions are soft and our offer needs to be more competitive. Actions are already underway to address this,” Lewis said in a statement. Analysts had expected a 2.3% decline in organic net sales for the three months ended March, according to a company-compiled poll.
Next plans to mitigate the cost increases caused by the Iran war with “moderate” price rises in some international markets and cost savings elsewhere, it said on Wednesday. European apparel retailers, including H&M, have warned that a prolonged Middle East conflict, will push up prices and dent consumer demand. Next also reported a better-than-expected 6.2% rise in full price sales for its first quarter to May 2 and edged up its full-year profit guidance. It said the first quarter sales beat was the result of exceptionally strong growth in the first five weeks of the year, before the Middle East conflict began. For 2026/27, the group is now forecasting profit before tax of 1.218 billion pounds ($1.65 billion), up from its previous forecast of 1.210 billion pounds and versus the 1.158 billion pounds it made in 2025/26. The group forecast full price sales growth of 5.0% for the full-year.
Smith+Nephew posted a 3.1% rise in first-quarter underlying revenue on Wednesday, helped by strong sports medicine and wound management performance, and kept its annual outlook unchanged while announcing a $500 million share buyback.
TBC Bank Group has declared a first-quarter 2026 dividend of GEL 1.75 per share, to be paid in pounds sterling to shareholders on the register as of 14 August 2026. The payment, scheduled for 11 September 2026, will use a five-day average Georgian lari to sterling exchange rate set by the National Bank of Georgia, underlining the group’s policy of regular capital returns while managing currency translation for its international investor base.
Trainline reported record net ticket sales of £6.3 billion for the year to 28 February 2026, up 7% year on year, with revenue rising 2% to £453 million and adjusted EBITDA increasing 11% to £177 million as cost discipline offset a cut in UK commission rates. Operating profit jumped 43% to £122 million, earnings per share surged, and adjusted free cash flow slipped slightly, while the group continued an aggressive share buyback, having repurchased £294 million of stock, or 23% of its original share capital, since 2023.
JD Wetherspoon has warned it could miss profit targets over “substantial increases in costs,” as pubs brace for soaring energy and shipping prices due to the Iran war. The UK’s best-known pub chain confirmed on Tuesday that the much-feared knock-on effects from the blockage to the Strait of Hormuz have begun to hit hospitality firms. Chairman Tim Martin said: “As many hospitality operators, including Wetherspoon, have reported, there have been substantial increases in costs, which may result in profits slightly below market expectations.”. Despite rising costs, Martin said Wetherspoon is trading ahead of the market, with its sales growth beating audit firm RSM’s hospitality business tracker for the 43rd month in a row.
UK
Smith & Nephew (SN.) – Q1 2026 Trading Report
Flutter Entertainment (FLTR) – Q1 2026 Earnings
TBC Bank Group (TBCG) – Q1 2026 Financial Results
Trainline (TRN) – Full Year Results
US
The Kraft Heinz (KHC) PMO
Novo Nordisk (NVO) PMO
Uber Technologies (UBER) PMO
The Walt Disney Co (DIS) PMO
AMC Entertainment (AMC) AMC E
ARM Holdings (ARM) AMC
IonQ Inc (IONQ) AMC
Snap Inc (SNAP) AMC
UK
Balfour Beatty (BBY) – Trading Update
Coca-Cola HBC AG (CCH) – Q1 2026 Trading Report
Harbour Energy (HBR) – Trading & Operations Update
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) – Q1 Trading Update
Metlen Energy & Metals (MTLN) – Q1 Trading Update
S4 Capital (SFOR) – Q1 2026 Sales and Revenue Release
Shell (SHEL) – Q1 2026 Results
JD Sports Fashion (JD.) – Full Year Results
US
McDonald’s (MCD) PMO
Unity Software (U) PMO
Viatris (VTRS) PMO
Airbnb (ABNB) AMC
Block Inc (XYZ) AMC
Cloudflare (NET) AMC
Coinbase (COIN) AMC
CoreWeave (CRWV) AMC
Gilead Sciences (GILD) AMC
IREN Ltd (IREN) AMC
Rocket Lab (RKLB) AMC
The Trade Desk (TTD) AMC
Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) AMC
Chinese RatingDog Services PMI
EU HCOB Composite PMI
EU Producer Price Index
US ADP Employment Change
Fed’s Musalem speech
Fed’s Goolsbee speech
UK 100 companies going ex-dividend on 7th May 2026:
Admiral Group
RELX
Glencore
UK 250 companies going ex-dividend on 7th May 2026:
ME Group International
Inchcape
Barr (A.G.)
Coats Group
Clarkson
Ibstock
Wetherspoon (JD)
Hochschild Mining
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