Business information reside: FTSE 100 to open from new all time excessive
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The FTSE 100 hit a new closing record after investors continued to look for opportunities outside the US, despite the UK economy shrinking by more than expected in April. The index of the UK’s leading shares rose 0.23% to close at 8,884 on Thursday, topping a previous high of 8,871.31 on March 3.
Shares have rallied in recent days and that continued on Thursday despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves acknowledging “clearly disappointing” new gross domestic product (GDP) figures, which fell 0.3 per cent in April. But the FTSE 100’s global footprint, with constituents including mining and energy giants, helped lift it to new heights.
Asia stocks have mostly fallen overnight, the Nikkei 225 and the Hang Seng both close to 1 per cent down as they head toward closing. There is no major UK economic data expected today.
Here is the business news and stock market updates from across Friday.
Business and stock markets news live
As is usual, not too many companies are reporting on a Friday.
But of those that are, Lindsell Train Investment Trust reporting their finals will be of interest, given previous outflows and more recent suggestion that investors are returning to active, rather than passive, funds.
Energy firm SSE will also be filing their annual report.
And, if you happen to hold the likes of Unilever, Tritax Big Box REIT or insurance behemoth Admiral Group, you can expect a payment today – they’re all on the list of different dividend payers for Friday. Enjoy.
Business news live on Friday
Good morning and welcome to Friday’s edition of The Independent’s rolling coverage of business and stock markets news.
The FTSE 100 will open today from a record high closing price, set on Thursday at 8884.92p.
Falling stocks in the US in part led to that of late, but the perceived undervaluation of UK plc has been much spoken about over the last couple of years and both investors and other companies alike have been taking advantage, with share-buying and entire company-buying prevalent in 2025.
Let’s see where today takes us.
FTSE finds a new high
The FTSE 100 has closed at 8884.92p, a new all time high for closing price.
It leaves the benchmark index up 8.7 per cent in 2025, following today’s 0.23 per cent gain.
That’s it for today’s news – thanks for joining and we’ll return again on Friday morning from 8am.
A few words on oil prices from Zain Vawda, market analyst at MarketPulse:
“Oil prices surged yesterday ending the day with a 5.4 per cent gain on heightened geopolitical risk from the Middle East. A decision by the US to lighten embassy staff in Iraq and move personnel in the Middle East ahead of nuclear talks with Iran raised eyebrows.
“Today however, has seen Oil prices slide in European trade, down as much as 2.2 per cent at the time of writing, trading at 66.75 a barrel.
“A potential escalation with Iran could have massive implications for Oil markets. The biggest concern being a supply disruption as around 20 per cent of the world’s Oil passes through the Straight of Hormuz.
“The narrow chokepoint could become a key area of focus in the event of regional tensions with Britain’s maritime agency warning that rising tensions in the area could lead to more military activity, which might affect shipping in key waterways.
“From a technical analysis standpoint, oil broke a significant descending trendline which had been in play since January 2025. However the move only occurred on the back of US-Iran tensions.”
Interest rates to get cut?
Last month the Bank of England cut interest rates to 4.25 per cent and most analysts at the time expected an ongoing one cut per quarter.
The economic landscape is quickly changing every week this year it seems, however, and analysts are mixed over whether next week’s MPC meeting will result in another cut.
Recent jobs and salary data are an indication that another cut is possible, but higher inflation figures than expected last time out put the case forward for staying higher, longer.
Financial markets are still just about pricing in two further cuts this year, down to 3.75 per cent.
US stocks: Oracle to rise but futures show S&P 500 to open lower
A little while ahead of opening, caution and uncertainty around trade deals mean stocks are set to open lower in the US today.
The S&P 500 is down 0.3 per cent in pre-trading and the Nasdaq is 0.5 per cent down.
However, a few individual winners can be seen before the opening bell too.
Oracle are up more than 8.3 per cent after posting a better than expected earnings report last night and shares are now up close to last December’s highs.
FTSE 100 slightly up while European markets stay in the red
The UK’s primary index, the FTSE 100, remains up by 0.13 per cent today, in contrast to the benchmarks in France and Germany which are down 0.6 and 1.0 per cent respectively.
Within the 100 on these shores, Halma (4.3pc), BT (2.96pc) and Tesco (2.86pc) are the biggest risers.
At the other end of the charts, airlines Easyjet and British Airways owner IAG are more more than 3.5 per cent down, as the wider airline industry watches on to events in India.
EV charger firm Pod Point bought for £10m
EDF has bought up Pod Point, the company which owns more than a quarter of a million electric vehicle charging points, for around £10.6m.
The energy giant was already a stakeholder and said the buyout was the only reasonable way to let Pod Point continue as a viable business amid challenging conditions.
While Pod Point’s share price peaked at 275p after its 2021 IPO, EDF’s deal for it means a payment of about 6.5p per share.
Boeing shares tumble after Air India plane crash
More details on the Boeing share price from PA:
Shares in Boeing tumbled in pre-market trading on Thursday after one of its planes crashed shortly after taking off in India.
The US-based airplane manufacturer, which has been blighted by safety issues in recent years, saw shares drop as much as 8%.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft bound for Gatwick airport, carrying 242 people including 53 British nationals, appeared to explode after crashing shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport.
Airline Air India said 169 passengers are Indian nationals, 53 are British, one is Canadian and seven are Portuguese.
Boeing shares fall after plane crash in India
Ongoing news this morning is from India where a plane bound for Gatwick, London, has crashed.
Meanwhile, shares in Boeing have dropped 8 per cent in pre-market trading following the news.
The American airliner suffered a spate of issues last year but seemed to have turned a corner, the share price up 15 per cent in a year and 20 per cent year to date in 2025.
