London’s blue-chip index traded lower on Wednesday, September 24, with weakness in banking stocks offsetting gains in travel and leisure counters. The FTSE 100 slipped 0.4% or 33.8 points to 9,189.52, as Barclays led the fallers, while the FTSE All-Share saw support from Saga after strong half-year results.
Barclays fell £6.1 to £383.2, weighing on the FTSE 100. Kingfisher, which surged 15% on its improved profit guidance a day earlier, held steady at £289.4, consolidating its biggest one-day gain in years.
In the FTSE 250, Pinewood Technologies and Baltic Classifieds both tumbled around 10% after their updates failed to impress investors.
Saga surged 6% to £230.5 after lifting its guidance for the full financial year on the back of strong cruise and holiday demand.
Away from the main index, high street favourite Greggs announced the launch of its first pub, the Golden Flake Tavern, located inside Fenwick Newcastle.
Opening this weekend, the pub will feature Greggs-inspired beers such as the Pink Jammie Pale Ale and the Gosforth 1939 Stottie Lager, crafted with local brewer Full Circle Brew Co.
The menu will reinvent Greggs’ classics as pub dishes, including steak bake, mixed grill, sausage roll & mash, and a bake-centred Sunday carvery.
Desserts like yum-yum bread & butter pudding and pink jammie trifle also feature. The concept follows Greggs’ earlier collaborations with Fenwick, including Bistro Greggs in 2023 and a Champagne Bar in 2024.
On The Beach reported summer bookings up 12% and TTV rising 11% year-on-year to £1.23 billion. However, adjusted profits for FY25 are expected between £34.5 million and £35.5 million, below the consensus forecast of £38.4 million.
Shares dropped 15% to £219 as the company also confirmed plans to wind down its Classic Collection B2B unit.
Beauty Tech Group set its IPO price range at £251-£291 per share, targeting a valuation of £280 million-£320 million. The Cheshire-based beauty device retailer, which started in 2009 with CurrentBody, aims to list in early October.
JD Sports Fashion confirmed a 13.5% fall in adjusted profit to £351 million despite an 18% rise in sales to £5.9 billion, helped by acquisitions of Hibbett and Courir. The retailer assured investors it expects only “limited impact” from US tariffs.
Wall Street paused its record run, with the Dow Jones off 0.2% and the S&P 500 down 0.6%, dragged lower by a 3% fall in Nvidia. The Nasdaq also eased 1%.
Gold prices extended their rally, hitting a fresh record at $3,775 an ounce, while Brent crude edged up 0.3% to $67.84 a barrel.
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