London’s stock market opened slightly higher on Monday, with investors focused on high-stakes discussions in Washington between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders, and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump is set to host Zelensky along with key European officials to explore terms for a potential peace agreement, following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday. Over the weekend, Trump suggested that Ukraine could quickly bring the conflict to an end by agreeing to Moscow’s demands.
By 07:27 GMT, the FTSE 100 had gained 0.1%, while the British pound remained largely stable against the U.S. dollar, maintaining levels above $1.35. Meanwhile, European markets were weaker, with Germany’s DAX down 0.5% and France’s CAC 40 falling 0.4%.
Tesla slashes UK leasing rates amid declining sales
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is reportedly offering up to 40% discounts to UK car leasing companies in an effort to counter slowing sales and address limited storage capacity, according to The Times. The price reductions are passed on to customers via lower monthly payment plans, industry sources said.
The electric vehicle giant is facing shrinking market share across global markets, prompting more aggressive pricing in the UK.
UK extends electric van and truck incentives
The UK government confirmed it will continue offering discounts for electric vans and trucks until at least 2027. Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, announced the extension of the program on Monday, supporting the transition to cleaner commercial vehicles.
UK housing market sees sharp summer price drop
The UK property market is experiencing notable declines, with Rightmove (LSE:RMV) reporting that average house prices have fallen nearly £11,000 compared with three months ago.
Although summer price adjustments are typical, June and July’s decreases were larger than usual, influenced in part by a stamp duty increase that had earlier driven strong demand. Lower asking prices and reduced borrowing costs contributed to July recording the highest number of property sales since 2020—an 8% rise from last year.
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