The FTSE 100 opened flat, up only 4 points to 10,613. This comes amid mixed global cues and a fall in Brent crude prices. Brent crude futures declined as much as 1.31% to $94.22 per barrel. Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at $85.5, down 2.19%.
SSE jumped 3.30% to £2,599.50 as the government confirmed plans to move older wind and solar farms onto fixed-price contracts. British Land rose 2.27% to £404.80 as the firm increased its outlook after a strong year.
Among others, Compass Group advanced 1.85% to £28.99, and Centrica jumped 1.42% to £207.20, while RELX gained 1.40% to £2,744.
Also, Land Securities Group rose 1.38% to £623.
On the downside, Associated British Foods fell 4.2% after confirming its plan to split into two. AstraZeneca backed 1.02% to £14,800.
Among others, Associated British Foods declined 4.70% to £1,796.50, while Berkeley Group Holdings fell 1.37% to £3,446 and Endeavour Mining fell 1.01% to £4,890.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the UK unemployment rate declined to 4.9% in February from 5.2%, below forecasts of 5.2%. Average weekly earnings excluding bonuses rose 3.6% in the three months to February compared to a year ago, down from 3.8% in January and above the estimate of 3.5%.
“The number of workers on payroll remained broadly flat in recent periods, reflecting ongoing weak hiring," says Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics.
Flight ticket prices from Heathrow are set to rise as the regulator approves a rise in airline fees to cover the costs of its third runway.
Heathrow would be allowed to recover up to £320 million it has spent so far on its proposals, which include early work this year and in 2025 on a planning application for its £33 billion expansion, the Civil Aviation Authority said (CAA).
The regulator said the move “would allow Heathrow Airport to have the resources necessary to continue its work on expanding the airport”.
THG delivered its best quarterly performance in five years. The beauty and nutrition e-commerce firm reported a revenue growth of 7% for Q1 of 2026. The business posted revenue of £393.1 million, led by 8.1% growth in its nutrition division to £159.8 million.
“It is energising for everyone at THG to see such a strong start to 2026,” said chief executive Matt Moulding. THG shares surged 9.5% to £42.2 in early trade.
Also Read: Stock Market Today: Sensex Jumps 494 Points to 79,000, Nifty50 Climbs to 24,494
US stocks pulled back overnight, the Nasdaq slipped 0.3%, the S&P 500 softened 0.2%, and the Dow Jones remained flat.
Asian stocks were mostly positive in the morning, with Japan's Nikkei up 0.9% and India's Sensex climbing 0.7%, but the Shanghai Composite was down 0.1%.
Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp
_____________
Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance on cryptocurrencies and stocks. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be risky, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more about the financial risks involved here.