FTSE 100 Slips as Heavyweights Drag

2025-12-03 08:24 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

The FTSE 100 dipped 0.1% to below 9,700 on Wednesday, extending Tuesday’s modest decline as losses in major constituents, including AstraZeneca, major banks, and British American Tobacco, kept the index under pressure.

HSBC slipped nearly 1% after the bank confirmed its new chairman, selecting interim chair Brendan Nelson in an unexpected move.

Sainsbury’s was among the biggest fallers, tumbling nearly 4% after Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund said it planned to cut its stake in the supermarket chain, adding further downside pressure to the retail segment.

In contrast, Smiths Group led the index with a gain of more than 2% after announcing an agreement to sell its airport-scanners division, Smiths Detection, to CVC-advised funds for an enterprise value of £2 billion.

Separately, Thames Water reported higher revenue and earnings, though its debt burden also increased as the company continues efforts to secure a major recapitalization deal.



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