FTSE 100 Trades at Record High

2026-02-18 08:41 By Agna Gabriel 1 min. read

The FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to above 10,600 on Wednesday, hitting another record high as softer UK inflation strengthened expectations for Bank of England rate cuts and supported equities.

UK inflation slowed to 3%, the lowest since March 2025, driven by declines in petrol, airfares, food and education costs, boosting hopes for looser policy.

Defence stocks led gains after strong earnings, with BAE Systems up around 4% after reporting higher revenue, orders and profit, while Babcock rose 3% and Rolls-Royce gained 1.9%.

Miners also advanced as metals prices climbed, with Glencore up 2.6% after results beat expectations despite lower annual profit.

Antofagasta and Anglo American gained over 1%, while Fresnillo and Endeavour Mining edged higher as precious metals climbed.



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