FTSE 100 Live: M&S Shares Fall on Profit Slump; Global Tech Sell-Off Drags Markets Lower

The FTSE 100 opened lower on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, as weak global sentiment and disappointing corporate results weighed on London markets. The index slipped 0.2% or 13 points to 9,714, led by declines in Marks & Spencer and energy majors.

M&S Shares Drop as Profit Halves

Marks & Spencer Group shares dropped 2% to £375 after the retailer reported a 55% fall in half-year adjusted profit to £184.1 million. The steep decline was primarily due to disruptions caused by a cyber attack earlier this year, which led to manual stock allocation and higher waste costs.

Pre-tax profit collapsed over 99%, dropping from £391.4 million to £3.4 million for the six months ending September 27.

M&S’s food division saw sales rise 7.8%, though profits fell nearly 60% to £58.8 million, while the fashion and home division recorded an 80% profit decline to £46.1 million on weaker sales.

Stock Movers

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners rose 1.5% to £6,780, while Tesco added 0.8% to £464.2. Barratt Redrow gained 0.75% to £375 after reaffirming its full-year completion guidance.

InterContinental Hotels Group edged 0.47% higher to £9,354, while Babcock International climbed 0.58% to £1,220.

On the downside, Weir Group dropped 3.6% to £2,776, the session’s biggest loser, followed by Rio Tinto that dropped 0.76% to £5,232, Diploma fell 0.72% to £5,490, and London Stock Exchange Group declined 0.39% to £9,610.

Corporate Highlights

Metro Bank met its full-year net interest margin goal early, reaching 3.03%, supported by strong SME lending growth. Meanwhile, Trainline posted a 38% rise in operating profit to £68 million, projecting continued expansion despite share pressure from Labour’s nationalisation plans.

Vanquis Banking Group set aside £3 million for potential costs linked to the UK motor finance redress scheme, warning that provisions may rise to £7 million if the FCA’s proposals go ahead.

Also Read: US Stock Market Today: Tech Stocks Take a Hit, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Plunge Amid Valuation Concerns

Global Sell-Off Pressures London Markets

The market weakness follows a sharp global tech sell-off that rattled sentiment across Asia and the US.

The Nasdaq fell 2% overnight, dragged by Palantir’s 9% drop despite strong earnings, while NVIDIA and AMD also slid amid profit-taking. The S&P 500 shed 1.2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.5%.

In Asia, the Nikkei 225 suffered its steepest fall since March, tumbling 4.7%, while South Korea’s Kospi declined 3.7%. Semiconductor-linked shares such as Tokyo Electron dropped 6.1%) and Advantest declined 10% led losses.

With uncertainty surrounding US interest rates and delayed economic data due to the ongoing government shutdown, investor confidence remains fragile.