FTSE 100 Steady as Whitbread Rises and Games Workshop Slips Amid Busy Trading Update Day

The FTSE 100 was unchanged on Tuesday in a muted morning for European equities. The DAX and Stoxx 600 were also flat, while the CAC 40 dipped 0.3%, as a heavy slate of London-listed trading updates drove individual stock moves.

Whitbread shares advanced after reporting a solid third-quarter performance supported by continued trading momentum in the UK and Germany.

Total group sales rose 2% to £781 million, with Premier Inn posting accommodation growth in both markets. The company also said changes to business rates announced in the recent UK Budget are expected to cost about £35 million in the next financial year, below its earlier estimate of £40 million to £50 million.

Games Workshop fell despite delivering a strong half-year performance for the 26 weeks to Nov. 30, 2025. Core revenue climbed 17.3% to £316.1 million from £269.4 million a year earlier, while total revenue, including licensing, rose to £332.1 million from £299.5 million. On a constant-currency basis, revenue reached £334.7 million.

Persimmon issued an upbeat trading update, saying new home completions increased 12% to 11,905 in 2025, compared with 10,664 in 2024. The average selling price rose 4% to about £278,000, and the company expects underlying profit before tax to come in at the upper end of market expectations.

The top FTSE 100 risers so far this morning are Whitbread (+3.9%), Mondi (+2.7%), and Diageo (+1.6%). Meanwhile, the largest declines are in Games Workshop (-2.9%), Admiral Group (-1.8%), and United Utilities (-1.7%).

Separately, The Gym Group said it plans to open 75 new sites over the next three years, 25 more than previously indicated, continuing its expansion despite challenging consumer conditions.