FTSE 100 flat as Lloyds flags mortgage pain; Europe near best week since June. Oxford Biomedica falls on guidance cut; Brent crude eases.
The FTSE 100 opened broadly flat on Friday, up marginally at 10,867.91 from yesterday’s close, after Lloyds Banking Group flagged pressure on UK mortgage rates. The Euronext 100 added 0.08 per cent to 1,967.32 and Germany’s DAX rose 0.33 per cent to 26,227.08, with European equities on course for their strongest weekly performance since June as a robust corporate earnings season lifted sentiment across pharmaceuticals, power infrastructure and telecommunications. On Wall Street, the Nasdaq Composite closed down 0.06 per cent at 26,348.35 and the S&P 500 slipped 0.18 per cent to 7,709.96 overnight, with investors weighing upcoming US labour market data and continued uncertainty over the path of Federal Reserve policy.
Commodity markets reflected renewed geopolitical unease, with gold, Brent crude and natural gas all easing back from yesterday’s close as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz kept energy markets on edge following reports of restricted vessel transit through the chokepoint. Copper firmed on the open, while bitcoin held steady against sterling. Sterling was little changed against the US dollar and the euro, edging fractionally higher against the yen, the Australian dollar and the Swiss franc, as currency markets took a cautious tone.
Market Numbers
FTSE 100: Up (0.001%), 10,867.91
Euronext 100: Up (0.08%), 1,967.32
DAX: Up (0.33%), 26,227.08
NASDAQ: Down (-0.06%), 26,348.35
S&P 500: Down (-0.18%), 7,709.96
In the Headlines
US Expansion Drives Growth – Sanderson Design Group (LSE:SDG)
Sanderson Design Group reported a 6 per cent rise in first-half revenue to £51.4 million, driven by strong North American demand and a 137 per cent jump in direct-to-consumer online sales. Management reaffirmed full-year profit expectations despite continued softness in the UK home furnishings market.
Guidance Cut Despite Client Wins – Oxford Biomedica (LSE:OXB)
Oxford Biomedica lowered its 2026 revenue guidance to between £180 million and £200 million after client order delays and a six-month setback at its North Carolina facility, despite record client wins and 9 per cent first-half growth. Shares fell sharply as the guidance cut renewed concerns over execution following previous forecast misses.
Currencies (vs GBP)
USD: Up (0.00%), $1.3455
CHF: Up (0.01%), Fr.1.0931
EUR: Down (-0.00%), €1.1675
JPY: Up (0.01%), ¥213.1535
AUD: Up (0.01%), $1.9131
Bitcoin (BTC/GBP), £47,773.12
Commodities
Copper: Up
Gold: Down
Brent Crude: Down
Natural Gas: Down
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