UK Defensive tilt tempers gains: the UK navigated a landscape of shifting sentiment during April as geopolitical unrest and domestic inflation weighed on the outlook. Although the FTSE 100 Index closed the month higher, its defensive bias and exposure to energy stocks meant it lagged broader international markets. Over April, the FTSE 100 Index rose by 2% while the FTSE 250 Index climbed by 5.9%. Inflationary pressures intensify: the UK’s rate of inflation rose from 3% to 3.3

UK UK markets fell in March: Investor sentiment and market movements were dominated in March by unfolding developments in the Middle East as the conflict between the US and Iran intensified. During the month, the FTSE 100 Index dropped by 6.7%, while the FTSE 250 Index fell by 10.7%. Amid speculation over the prospect of interest rate increases – rather than the rate cuts anticipated by many investors before war broke out – the yield on the 10-year gilt breached 5%. The Bank

The announcement of a 14-day ceasefire involving Iran has been welcomed by global financial markets, with equities seeing a short-term uplift. While geopolitical developments are always uncertain, it’s helpful to understand why markets have reacted positively—and what could come next. Why markets have risen In the immediate aftermath of the ceasefire announcement, global stock markets have moved higher. This reflects a reduction in geopolitical risk. Periods of conflict—parti

Following our recent update on developments in Iran, we wanted to provide a brief update on how markets have reacted over the past few days and what this may mean for investors. The key message remains unchanged: there is no need for investors to panic. However, recent developments in energy markets and political commentary have influenced short-term market movements. Oil prices and market volatility As expected, the main economic channel through which the conflict has

FTSE hits a fresh record: the FTSE 100 Index ended February at a record high, closing over 10,900 points for the first time ever. Performance was driven by stocks in the defence and mining sectors, which were boosted by escalating tensions in the Middle East, and by the UK’s relatively low exposure to companies in the technology sector. Meanwhile, an agreed bid for asset manager and FTSE 100 constituent Schroders from US investment group Nuveen propelled Schroders’ share pri

Recent developments in Iran have understandably raised questions for investors. Whenever geopolitical tensions rise, markets tend to react quickly, often before the longer-term implications are clear. Our focus remains firmly on one thing: how events may affect your portfolio, and what (if anything) you should do in response. The short answer is simple- there is no need to panic. Why markets react first - and think later Financial markets dislike uncertainty. When geopo

UK Geopolitical tensions: the FTSE 100 Index began 2026 with a bang, breaching 10,000 points for the first time ever. Investor sentiment was rattled during January by mounting geopolitical tensions and surging gold prices as US President Donald Trump set his sights on Greenland. Threats of higher tariffs on several European countries, including the UK, raised fears that the US/UK “special relationship” might be in decline, although tensions died down towards the end of the m

UK A strong year for UK equities: 2025 proved to be a standout year for the FTSE 100 Index, which notched up its best annual performance since 2009 and outperformed US equity markets over the year. The FTSE 100 Index rose by 2.2% during December, and by 21.5% over 2025 as a whole. In comparison, the FTSE 250 Index climbed by 1.4% over the month and by 9% over the year. In a review of FTSE 100 Index constituents, British Land was promoted to the blue-chip index, while WPP was

UK A month of two halves: November proved to be a month of two halves for the UK: first, the run-up to the Budget, and then the fallout from the Budget. Amid hopes of a forthcoming cut in interest rates, the FTSE 100 Index flirted with the 10,000-point level during the month, but eventually subsided, dampened by Budget-related jitters. Alongside the FTSE 250 Index, the blue-chip index eventually ended November broadly unchanged. Budget measures: the government’s Budget froz

UK Cutting through the noise: despite continuing concerns over the possibility of an AI-fuelled stock market bubble, ongoing global trade tensions, and – closer to home – mounting speculation about possible measures in the UK government’s forthcoming Budget, UK equity markets ended October in positive territory. While the FTSE 250 Index climbed by 0.7%, the blue-chip FTSE 100 Index rose by 3.9% over the month and hit a new high, boosted by the impact of higher gold and oil p

UK What’s in the red box? During September, investors became increasingly preoccupied by possible measures in the forthcoming Autumn Budget. Concerns over the state of the UK’s public finances and worries over the possibility of tax increases pushed up the yield on the 30-year gilt to its highest level since 1998. Having grown by 0.4% in June, the UK economy stagnated in July as growth in the services and construction sectors was more than offset by a sharp contraction in th