FTSE 100 Little Changed on Tuesday

2026-05-19 16:13 By Agna Gabriel 1 min. read

The FTSE 100 gave up earlier gains to finish broadly flat on Tuesday as inflation concerns, political uncertainty and ongoing tensions involving Iran weighed on sentiment through the session.

Mining stocks were among the weakest performers, with Fresnillo falling more than 4.5%, Endeavour Mining down over 3% and Antofagasta also losing more than 3%, alongside declines in Anglo American, Rio Tinto and Glencore.

In contrast, defence names provided support, with BAE Systems rising 1.7%, Rolls-Royce adding 0.7% and Babcock also advancing.

Utilities were firmer, as National Grid gained 1.2%, Severn Trent climbed 2.2%, United Utilities added 1.5% and Centrica rose 0.7%.

Labour market data pointed to continued weakness, with elevated unemployment particularly among younger workers and slowing wage growth.

The figures may strengthen the argument for the BoE to hold rates steady, although markets now look ahead to Wednesday’s CPI inflation reading for further guidance on the policy outlook.



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