FTSE 100 Ends May’s First Session Flat

2026-05-01 15:48 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

The FTSE 100 closed nearly unchanged at 10,380 points in the first trading session of May, as investors balanced NatWest’s cautious update and a drop in oil prices against reduced expectations for Bank of England rate hikes.

NatWest slumped 3.5% to the bottom of the index despite reporting a first-quarter pretax operating profit of £2.03 billion, which beat expectations and strengthened its income outlook.

However, the bank warned of economic risks tied to the Iran conflict.

Energy shares also declined, with BP dropping 1.9% and Shell 0.9%, as oil prices fell following Iran’s new proposal to the US, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed.

Pearson, meanwhile, rose over 3% after reporting a 4% increase in first-quarter sales, led by its Virtual Learning division, and reaffirmed its 2026 guidance.

Diageo shares added 0.6% following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of partial tariff relief on Scotch whisky.

UK markets will be closed on Monday for the bank holiday.



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The FTSE 100 closed nearly unchanged at 10,380 points in the first trading session of May, as investors balanced NatWest’s cautious update and a drop in oil prices against reduced expectations for Bank of England rate hikes. NatWest slumped 3.5% to the bottom of the index despite reporting a first-quarter pretax operating profit of £2.03 billion, which beat expectations and strengthened its income outlook. However, the bank warned of economic risks tied to the Iran conflict. Energy shares also declined, with BP dropping 1.9% and Shell 0.9%, as oil prices fell following Iran’s new proposal to the US, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed. Pearson, meanwhile, rose over 3% after reporting a 4% increase in first-quarter sales, led by its Virtual Learning division, and reaffirmed its 2026 guidance. Diageo shares added 0.6% following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of partial tariff relief on Scotch whisky. UK markets will be closed on Monday for the bank holiday.
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