FTSE 100 Index Decreases by 0.81%
The U.K. stock market saw a decline on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 Index closing down 0.81% at 7,354.57.
Major Banks Witness Significant Drop
Standard Chartered PLC, one of the major international banks listed in the FTSE 100, experienced the largest drop in stock value on Thursday, plummeting by 12.44%.
Declines in Diversified Services and Retail Sectors
Shares of Rentokil Initial PLC and B&M European Value Retail S.A., companies operating in the diversified business services and mixed retailing industries respectively, also suffered considerable losses. Rentokil Initial saw a decline of 10.60%, while B&M European Value Retail experienced a decrease of 4.99%.
Top Five Decreases in Stock Value
Intertek Group PLC, a technical services company, and Unilever PLC, known for its business operations in various industries, rounded out the top five largest decreases. Their stock values plummeted by 2.96% and 2.83%, respectively.
Ocado Group PLC Bucks the Trend
In contrast to the overall decline seen in the FTSE 100, Ocado Group PLC, a food retail company, experienced a significant increase of 5.89% in its stock value on Thursday.
Growth in Chemicals and Construction Sectors
Croda International PLC, a leading chemicals firm, and Persimmon PLC, specializing in residential building construction, witnessed positive growth as their stock values rose by 1.84% and 1.83% respectively.
Top Five Increases in Stock Value
International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A., a passenger airlines company, and M&G PLC, an investment advisory business, secured positions among the top five largest increases. Their stock values rose by 1.78% and 1.77% respectively.
Currency and Commodity Market Updates
The pound remained relatively stable against the dollar, with GBPUSD standing at $1.2112. On the other hand, it experienced a positive shift of 0.32% against the euro, reaching GBPEUR at €1.1499.
Brent crude dropped by 1.5% to $87.81, while the yield on the 10-year gilt fell by 0.620 basis points to 4.607%.
