FTSE 100 Rises on Friday Led by RELX

2026-02-13 16:59 By Agna Gabriel 1 min. read

The FTSE 100 rose 0.3% on Friday after a 0.7% drop in the previous session, supported by rebounds in AI-sensitive stocks, and defence names.

RELX led gains, rising more than 9%, while London Stock Exchange Group added over 0.5% as investors reassessed AI disruption risks.

Defence stocks advanced after allies pledged up to $35 billion in military aid to Ukraine, lifting BAE Systems 2% and Rolls-Royce 3.5%.

Other risers included AstraZeneca up more than 1% and Unilever around 1.5%.

On the downside, Entain fell over 4% after weak guidance from US peer DraftKings, while banks lagged, with NatWest down more than 3% despite strong results and a £750 million buyback, and Barclays, HSBC Holdings and Lloyds Banking Group down around 2% each.

For the week, the FTSE 100 rose 0.6%.



News Stream
The FTSE 100 Index Closes 0.63% Higher
The FTSE 100 Index gained 66 points or 0.63 percent on Thursday to close at 10431 points. Gains were led by B&M European Value (6.77%), 3i (3.87%) and Shell (2.88%). Biggest losers were Compass (-99.03%), Taylor Wimpey (-4.42%) and Endeavour (-2.46%).
2026-04-02
FTSE 100 Rises for 4th Session
The FTSE 100 climbed over 0.5% on Thursday, outperforming European peers as oil surged to $110 a barrel. Meanwhile, reports emerged that Iran is drafting a protocol with Oman to monitor traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, citing Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi. The update followed a speech by President Donald Trump that provided no clear roadmap for ending the Middle East conflict, keeping investors cautious. Oil majors Shell and BP gained nearly 3% each, while pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and GSK rose 1.9% and 1.7%, respectively. BAT advanced more than 2%, and discount retailer B&M jumped over 5% after a rating upgrade. Conversely, banks including HSBC Holdings and NatWest slipped more than 1%, reflecting ongoing risk sentiment in the sector. Markets in the UK are closed Friday for the Easter holiday.
2026-04-02
FTSE 100 Snaps 3-Session Gain
The FTSE 100 fell 0.5% on Thursday, snapping a three session winning streak as concerns grew over a potential escalation in the Middle East conflict following President Donald Trump’s address, which offered no clear timeline for resolution and pointed to more aggressive action in the coming weeks, including possible strikes on infrastructure. Mining stocks led losses with Fresnillo and Endeavour down around 6%, while Antofagasta, Anglo American and Rio Tinto also declined sharply. Banks came under pressure, with HSBC, Standard Chartered and Barclays falling about 2% and Lloyds down 1.5% as it reviewed the impact of a motor finance redress scheme. The index was partly supported by its heavy exposure to energy, with Shell and BP gaining on higher oil prices. Elsewhere, B&M rose more than 5% after a rating upgrade, while broader moves reflected ongoing volatility in commodity markets.
2026-04-02