FTSE 100 Rebounds from 2-Day Drop

2026-03-20 08:57 By Agna Gabriel 1 min. read

The FTSE 100 rose more than 0.5% on Friday, after two sessions of losses, as oil prices eased and investors assessed the cautious tone from central banks across Europe.

Crude declined after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Washington may lift sanctions on Iranian oil stored on tankers to help ease energy costs.

Central banks held rates steady this week, citing the Iran war as a key source of uncertainty for inflation, while the Bank of England signaled it stands ready to act, reinforcing expectations of tighter policy.

Markets are now fully pricing in a rate hike by June.

Travel and leisure stocks led gains, with EasyJet up 3% and International Airlines Group 2.8%, while HSBC, Lloyds and Barclays also advanced.

Unilever and Rolls Royce gained over 1%, while Shell and BP fell as oil retreated, and defence stocks including BAE Systems and Babcock also declined.

Considering the full week, the UK index is down by around 1.5%.



News Stream
FTSE 100 Rebounds from 2-Day Drop
The FTSE 100 rose more than 0.5% on Friday, after two sessions of losses, as oil prices eased and investors assessed the cautious tone from central banks across Europe. Crude declined after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested Washington may lift sanctions on Iranian oil stored on tankers to help ease energy costs. Central banks held rates steady this week, citing the Iran war as a key source of uncertainty for inflation, while the Bank of England signaled it stands ready to act, reinforcing expectations of tighter policy. Markets are now fully pricing in a rate hike by June. Travel and leisure stocks led gains, with EasyJet up 3% and International Airlines Group 2.8%, while HSBC, Lloyds and Barclays also advanced. Unilever and Rolls Royce gained over 1%, while Shell and BP fell as oil retreated, and defence stocks including BAE Systems and Babcock also declined. Considering the full week, the UK index is down by around 1.5%.
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