The FTSE 100 was up 0.2% in early trading today, while the FTSE 250 fell 0.5%. Markets are more cautious amid a pick-up in US-Iran tensions. The DAX is down 0.3%, the CAC 40 is flat, and the Stoxx 50 is down 0.1%.
It was reported that US President Donald Trump held off on more strikes on Iran at Gulf allies’ request. Meanwhile, Iran’s IRGC has reportedly targeted a US early warning radar in Bahrain. Early on, Brent was up 0.1% at $95.96 and GBP/USD was up 0.1% at 1.3242.
FTSE 100: Aviva leads, 3i and Rolls-Royce pull back
Among FTSE 100 risers, Aviva added 2.38% after publishing its third-quarter 2026 trading update today. Shell gained 1.23% and BP 1.04%.
3i Group fell 2.62%, pulling back after rising yesterday on its half-year report. Rolls-Royce (LON: RR.) lost 1.65%, also giving back most of yesterday’s trading-update gain. Weir fell 1.68%.
FTSE 250: WH Smith, QinetiQ and Wizz Air slide
Lancashire rose 1.39%, ASOS 1.30% and B&M European Value Retail 1.13%, extending its rise after yesterday’s interims.
WH Smith is down 6.97%, adding to yesterday’s decline following its preliminary results.
QinetiQ has declined 5.52%. The company’s stock closed lower on Thursday after its H1 figures.
Similarly, Wizz Air (LON: WIZZ) has lost 4.24%, adding to its Thursday decline after reporting its half-year results.
Landsec and DFS updates
Landsec (LON: LAND) reported flat half-year EPRA earnings of £192m and raised its interim dividend 2.1% to 19.4p. It now expects full-year like-for-like growth at the upper end of its c.3-5% guidance.
It also said higher interest rates since the Iran conflict have slowed investment market momentum. Mark Allan said it was “strengthening our positioning for a higher inflation, higher rate environment.”
DFS said order intake over the first 12 weeks of FY27 fell 2.5% year on year, with upholstery demand softening further over the following seven weeks. Tim Stacey said the consumer environment “has remained challenging through the autumn”.
US producer price data for October is due at 1:30 pm UK time. The consensus is +0.4% month on month, after +1.3% previously.
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Three London-listed shares showed strong momentum in Thursday’s session.
Burberry (LSE: BRBY) rose 8.01% to 1,180.5p, its largest daily gain in six months. The move came on volume about 2.4 times its 20-day average, after first-half results showed a return to profit and a fifth straight quarter of retail sales growth.
3i Group (LSE: III) gained 5.65% to 2,710p, with volume about 1.4 times its 20-day average. Shares remain about 21% below their 52-week high.
Morgan Sindall (LSE: MGNS) closed up 1.61% at 4,552p, extending its winning streak to seven sessions. That is the longest run in its history since September 2021.