Market Report - Close
London close: Stocks end off highs as pound claws back some ground; Sainsbury's surges
London stocks ended just in the black on Monday, off earlier highs as the pound reversed its earlier drop against the euro and clawed back some ground versus the greenback, with deal news underpinning sentiment after Sainsbury's announced plans to merge with Walmart's UK unit, Asda.
London close: Stocks jump with weak data seen potentially staying central banks' hand
London stocks finished the session and the week higher as the pound fell below $1. 38 for the first time since the start of March on the back of weak UK growth figures.
London close: Defensive stocks lead rise as bond yields relent
London stocks shook off a sluggish start on Thursday to recover most of the previous day's losses as utilities rose as bond yields retreated and Wall Street rallied.
London close: Stocks caught in downdraft on Wall Street, but finish off lows
London stocks fell further into the red on Wednesday, taking their cue from a sell-off on Wall Street amid rising government bond yields in the States, despite higher takeover offers boosting Sky and Shire.
London close: Stocks overcome rising yields and sterling rebound
London-listed stocks held onto gains on Tuesday, overcoming pressures from a rebound in the pound and rising bond yields as government borrowing figures, commodity prices and deal news provided support.
London close: Stocks rise as geopolitical and trade tensions wane
London stocks finished higher as the pound fell to its worst level in five weeks against the dollar, as an easing in geopolitical and trade tensions and optimism around the outlook for corporate earnings in the States and in euroland buoyed stockmarkets around the world.
London close: Shares gain as pound slips on 'dovish' remarks from Carney
London stocks held onto gains made early on Friday, as investors mulled dovish comments from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney from the night before against a more hawkish tone from fellow rate-setter Michael Saunders, amid weakness in Sterling.
London close: Shire bid battle helps FTSE outperform European peers
London stocks clung on to small gains on Thursday as investors shrugged off disappointing retail sales data, with Shire given a shot in the arm as potential takeover battle emerged for the drugmaker.
London close: Stocks jump as pound falls back, miners leap higher
London stocks jumped on Wednesday as the latest round of inflation data knocked the pound lower, raising doubts in some corners over the likelihood of a rate hike by the Bank of England next month.
London close: Wage figures lift retailers but knock pound
London stocks were lifted on Tuesday as wage growth overtook inflation for the first time in a year but fell short of market expectations, lifting the mood in the consumer-focused sectors and simultaneously putting pressure on the pound.
London close: Stocks fall back as pound gains altitude
London stocks finished lower on Monday, weighed down by the stronger pound as traders pushed it higher ahead of the start of negotiations with Brussels this week on the UK's post-Brexit trade relationship with the European Union.
London close: Gains in shares capped by geopolitical worries, pound strength
London stocks finished higher on Friday - but only just - as investors played it safe going into the weekend, due to the tense geopolitical situation in the Middle East, and strength in the pound.
London close: Footsie underperforms as Sterling strengthens
London stocks finished higher on Thursday, helped along by solid performances from Shire and Tesco, as the US President appeared to dial back a tad on the previous day's aggressive rhetoric on the situation in Syria.
London close: Stocks little changed as traders await news from Middle East
London stocks slipped on Wednesday following an unexpected drop in UK manufacturing and a sharp fall in construction output, as the bright spot of Tesco's results was overshadowed by investor caution over geopolitical tensions and ahead of the release of the Federal Reserve meeting minutes.
London close: Stocks jump as trade tensions ebb slightly
London stocks ended higher on Tuesday, with sentiment underpinned by a pledge from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to open up the country's economy and lower import tariffs.
London close: Equities eke out small gain as Russian sanctions weigh
London's FTSE 100 index eked out a small gain at the start of the week, recovering from weakness in stocks with exposure to Russia and copper, with good shifts put in by WPP, AB Foods and Rolls-Royce.
London close: Stocks weighed down by trade tensions, weak US jobs
London stocks finished a little weaker on Friday, weighed down by the ongoing global trade tensions and strength in the pound after the latest US jobs report fell well short of economists' forecasts.
London close: Shares shrug-off weak news on economy, focus on reduced trade tensions
London stocks jumped back as Wall Street extended the prior day's bounce and the pound fell back as worries about a trade war between the US and China eased.
London close: Footsie rebounds from early losses
London's top-flight index managed to eke out a slightly higher close on Wednesday after an early dip, as the 'tit-for-tat' trade spat between the US and China intensified.
London close: FTSE begins second quarter on back foot
London stocks started the second quarter by adding to the losses of the first, with solid manufacturing data and an upbeat start on Wall Street not proving strong enough catalysts.