FTSE 100 Live: Index Rose 20 Points Amid Rising Oil Prices

The FTSE 100 opened 20 points higher at 10,233.12 amid rising oil prices and uncertainty in the Middle East. Brent Crude crossed the $120 threshold for the first time since 2022 and is currently trading at $121.7 with a 3.13% increase.

Gainers & Losers

United Utilities rose 10.98% to £1,456, while Severn Trent advanced 5.55% to £3,216 and Endeavour Mining gained 3.60% to £4,292.

Also, Rolls-Royce Holdings climbed 3.28% to £1,134.60, while Persimmon added 2.63% to £1,054 and Centrica edged up 1.45% to £209.50.

On the downside, Weir Group declined 7.60% to £2,554, while DCC fell 4.42% to £5,620 and Whitbread dropped 4.49% to £2,278.

Lion Finance slipped 0.64% to £10,910, while London Stock Exchange Group declined 0.62% to £9,588 and Games Workshop eased 0.28% to £19,320.

Whitbread’s Share Declines

Whitbread shares fell 5.6% after it unveiled a five-year plan to transform the business into a higher-margin, lower capital-intensity operation, following a detailed review amid high employment costs and business rates. 

However, analyst Anna Barnfather at Panmure Liberum says, ‘the key focus today is the FY27E outlook, with high inflation driving further downgrades, and the outcome of the business review’. 

The review includes a full exit from branded restaurants, which is expected to reduce revenue by £140-£160 million and profit by £40 million during the transition period, resulting in a £185 million impairment. 

Endeavour Mining’s Profit Soars

Endeavour Mining has continued its rally amid high gold prices that hit a record high profit before tax in the first financial quarter. Profit before tax increased 29% from the previous quarter to $880 million (£677.6 million), while free cash flow also hit a record high of $613 million. 

Gold production also jumped 5% from the previous quarter to 341 koz, while the amount of gold sold increased 8% to 353 koz. 

Unilever Revenue Declines

Unilever said: “We expect €400-€500 million of stranded costs post the separation, which will be offset with savings over 2027 to 2029, incurring one-off restructuring costs of €500 million over that period.”

The company saw revenue decline in the first three months of 2026 in its beauty and wellbeing (5%), home care (3%), and food (6%) arms. Only its personal care brands saw revenue grow, by 0.6% to €3.3 billion, with overall group revenue falling by 3% to €12.6 billion.

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Global Market View

In the US, stocks closed mostly lower, with the Dow Jones falling 0.6%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both closed roughly flat.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei declined 0.98% to 59,332.50, while South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.38% to 6,598.87 and China’s CSI gained 0.47% to 8,391.95. 

India’s Nifty 50 and Sensex both edged down by 0.64% and 0.53%, respectively, at press time.