The FTSE 100 closed down on Tuesday, but well above earlier worse levels, as investors awaited the start of the tech reporting season and assessed reports of fresh talks between the US and Iran.
In London, the FTSE 100 index ended down 31.69 points, 0.3%, at 10,733.00. It had earlier traded as low as 10,673.02.
The FTSE 250 ended down 13.73 points, 0.1%, at 24,364.76, and the AIM all-share fell 5.57 points, 0.7%, to 762.93.
Stocks rallied from earlier lows as Brent oil, which traded as high as 111.20 US dollars earlier on Tuesday, retreated.
Brent was quoted at 106.65 dollars a barrel at the time of the London close,down from 108.29 dollars at the same time on Monday.
The price fall came after an unconfirmed report that Qatar and Pakistan had issued a proposal to revive talks to bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East.
Qatari sources “involved in mediation efforts” told the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that “Qatar and Pakistan presented a mediation proposal that addresses the demands of the US and Iran”.
The report said the proposal received US approval, and Iran’s consent was also obtained earlier.
In European equity markets on Tuesday, the Cac 40 in Paris ended down 0.4%, while the Dax 40 in Frankfurt fell 0.1%.
European stocks remained unsettled with the weekend’s events in France continuing to weigh.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday authorities would mobilise a “massive” security presence next weekend, with organisers announcing plans for new protests after riots erupted on the sidelines of nationwide demonstrations.
“The deployment for next Saturday will be massive,” Mr Lecornu said in parliament, acknowledging that the security operation for the protests last weekend had been “too static and not mobile enough”.
Saxo UK investor strategist Neil Wilson said the French unrest “continues to be a factor weighing on sentiment and particularly on European equities, with the main bourses coming off some bruising losses on Monday”.
Mr Wilson said the unrest has “magnified” existing concerns about additional government spending and the difficulty of repairing France’s finances.
“Whether France is heading to some kind of fiscal crisis or not, investors are demanding a premium to own French debt,” he said.
In New York, markets were higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.0% at the time of the closing bell in London on Tuesday. The S&P 500 was 0.4% higher and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.2%.
Markets are gearing up for the start of the technology third quarter reporting season, with SpaceX and Netflix reporting after Tuesday’s US market close.
The sector had earlier been knocked by a poor market debut for South Korean AI services firm Elice Group – with the stock slumping 32% on its initial public offer.
David Morrison, analyst at Trade Nation, said there is a definite lack of upside momentum.
“This suggests that traders need a catalyst to turn sentiment positive again, and to banish concerns over the future profitability of the AI trade, given the extent of the investment to date, and what has been promised for next year and beyond,” he added.
Mr Morrison said results from SpaceX on Tuesday, and Meta Platforms and Tesla on Wednesday will give “valuable insights” as to current state of AI development.
The yield on the US 10-year Treasury was quoted at 5.11%, trimmed from 5.13%. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury was quoted at 5.43%, narrowed from 5.47%.
Back in London, investors assessed figures which showed tentative signs the UK labour market is stabilising.
The Office for National Statistics said the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.7% in the three months to August from 4.9% in the three months to July.
An early estimate showed payrolled employees rose by 13,000 on-month in September, following a decline of 26,000 in August, though numbers remained 66,000 lower on-year.
Deutsche Bank analyst Sanjay Raja believes the figures reinforced signs that conditions were improving.
“Stronger growth has now finally landed with the labour market. And limited budget speculation has meant that firms are cautiously hiring,” Mr Raja said.
The report also showed average total earnings growth was 3.7% in the three months to August, cooling from 3.9% in the three months to July, and below the consensus cited by FXStreet of 3.8%.
With the Bank of England meeting in two weeks time, JPMorgan analyst Allan Monks said a rate hike “is not in doubt”.
He thinks the combination of sustained stronger job growth and higher pay could also make the Monetary Policy Committee look at December.
“But we doubt it will deliver unless the signs are stronger, broader and sustained,” he added.
The figures put a spring in the step of sterling. The pound was quoted at 1.3376 US dollars, up from 1.3316. Against the euro, sterling firmed to 1.1901 euros on Monday from 1.1869.
On the FTSE 100, credit checking agency Experian rose 2.7% after US peer Equifax stormed 11% to the good after better-than-forecast third quarter results.
Anglo American rose 0.4% as it stuck with 2026 production guidance and said its merger with Teck Resources is moving closer to completion.
“We continue to engage constructively with China’s anti-trust regulator, with this being the final outstanding regulatory milestone required for completion,” chief executive Duncan Wanblad said, noting that the deal completion timing by March 2027 remains unchanged.
Heading lower was Bunzl, down 2.9%, as a lack of guidance upgrade was viewed as disappointing as the firm delivered its third quarter trading update.
On the FTSE 250, Genuit sank 12% as it lowered its annual profit expectations after unusually warm weather weighed on its heating business, compounding challenging market conditions.
Ocado soared 10% as JPMorgan raised its share price target to 460p from 290p.
Analyst Marcus Diebel sees “several drivers for a sustained re-rating”.
“We see a materially improved M&S relationship post litigation de-escalation, creating scope for further strategic progress. A potential sale of the UK Logistics assets into the Retail joint venture and/or a future IPO could help crystallize value,” Mr Diebel said in a research note.
Gold was quoted at 4,131.02 dollars an ounce, down from 4,144.06.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Barratt Redrow, up 12.10p at 321.20p, Experian, up 77.00p at 2,909.00p, Howden Joinery Group, up 19.50p at 794.50p, SSE, up 49.00p at 2,554.00p and National Grid, up 21.00p at 1,210.50p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were Diploma, down 315.00p at 7,485.00p, IG Group Holdings, down 28.00p at 937.50p, Bunzl, down 80.00p at 2,730.00p, Halma, down 88.00p at 3,324.00p and Rio Tinto, down 170.00p at 6,545.00p.
Wednesday’s local corporate calendar has trading statements from gold miner Fresnillo, asset manager Aberdeen and real estate investment trust Segro.
Wednesday’s global economic calendar has trade figures in Japan overnight, followed by consumer and wholesale inflation and public sector net borrowing data in the UK.
– Contributed by Alliance News