FTSE 100 Starts Week Higher as Pound Extends Decline

UK stocks opened the week on a positive note Monday, with the FTSE 100 edging higher while the pound continued to lose ground against the U.S. dollar. As of 08:04 GMT, the blue-chip index was up 0.2%, while sterling slipped 0.2% to trade just above $1.31.

Across Europe, markets were mixed — Germany’s DAX gained 0.3%, while France’s CAC 40 fell 0.2%.

UK Market Highlights:

• Ryanair Holdings PLC (LSE:0RYA) reported a 42% rise in first-half profit to €2.54 billion, buoyed by strong summer demand. Second-quarter profit after tax climbed 20% to €1.72 billion from €1.43 billion a year earlier, while revenue rose 13% to €9.82 billion on a 3% increase in passenger traffic to 119 million. The airline noted a 13% rise in average fares to €58 but cautioned that tougher comparisons and geopolitical risks could weigh on second-half results.
• Optima Health PLC (LSE:OPT) posted first-half fiscal 2026 revenue of roughly £59 million, up 17% year over year from £50.8 million. The company reaffirmed that it is on track to meet consensus estimates, targeting full-year revenue of around £125.4 million.
• Empiric Student Property PLC (LSE:ESP) said it had reached 89% occupancy for the 2025/26 academic year, with like-for-like rental growth of 4.5%. The company noted slower booking activity since early September, citing lower Chinese student numbers and supply-demand imbalances in key cities such as Nottingham, Sheffield, and Glasgow — making its 97% occupancy target difficult to achieve.
• BP PLC (LSE:BP.) announced a $1.5 billion deal to sell minority stakes in its U.S. onshore midstream assets to private investor Sixth Street. The assets include BP’s pipelines and processing facilities in the Eagle Ford and Permian basins — Grand Slam, Bingo, Checkmate, and Crossroads — which link wells to third-party pipeline systems.

The mixed tone in Europe came as investors assessed a busy week ahead for corporate earnings and central bank commentary, while currency traders watched the pound’s continued weakness following last week’s decline.