Market Report - Close
London close: Stocks close lower after Shell slashes dividend
London stocks were lower by midday on Thursday, with oil giant Shell pacing the decline as it cut its dividend for the first time in 80 years, while the US employment market booked another week of deterioration.
London close: Stocks finish higher even after US GDP plunges
London stocks finished higher on Wednesday, with the top-flight index keeping its head above the 6,000 mark, as investors digested the worst GDP figures out of the United States in 12 years, alongside some more promising results from a potential treatment for Covid-19.
London close: Stocks close higher as investors cheer BP dividend decision
London stocks managed to close positive on Tuesday, with BP shares rising even further through the afternoon as the oil major maintained its dividend, despite a slide in quarterly profits.
London close: Stocks finish higher amid hopes of lockdown easing
London stocks closed in positive territory on Monday, as investors welcomed news that several countries were set to ease their lockdowns, even if the UK was not there yet.
London close: Stocks close lower after dire retail sales data
London stocks finished in the red on Friday, sliding back towards its earlier lows in afternoon trading, after a potential treatment for Covid-19 failed in its first trial and as investors digested dire UK retail sales data.
London close: Stocks close higher as investors 'look past' dire data
London stocks were back in the green by the close on Thursday, managing a decent afternoon despite dire European and UK PMIs, with housebuilders on the rise.
London close: Markets finish higher as UK inflation slows
London stocks finished in the green on Wednesday, recovering from heavy losses in the previous session despite a continued slump in oil prices, as investors mulled the latest UK inflation data.
London close: Stocks close lower as oil price rout continues
London stocks finished well into the red at the close on Tuesday, after oil prices slid into negative territory, with energy and mining issues under the cosh.
London close: FTSE manages to close higher after turbulent session
London’s benchmark had broken back into the green by the close on Monday, although housebuilders remained under following the latest Rightmove house price data, while there was some optimism in the air around the loosening of coronavirus restrictions in certain European countries.
London close: Stocks higher as markets pin hopes on treatments
London stocks finished in the green on Friday, despite disappointing Chinese data, as investors pinned their hopes on a potential coronavirus treatment.
London close: Stocks finish firmer after US jobless claims release
London stocks had recovered by the close on Thursday, as investors digested another week of huge US jobless figures, and continued to mull the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
London close: Markets close lower amid fresh economic consternation
London stocks remained in the red at the close on Wednesday, as investors dealt with renewed concerns about the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
London close: Footsie misses out on global rally as pound extends gains
A renewed push higher in Sterling and weakness in crude oil prices tripped investors up as they returned from the long bank holiday, even as analysts debated what markets' next move might be.
London close: Stocks end short week in the green
London stocks managed to finish the last session of a truncated week in the green on Thursday, as investors spent the afternoon digesting the latest US jobless claims data.
London close: Benchmark closes lower amid concern over EU virus response
London’s benchmark closed lower on Wednesday, as investor consternation over the impact of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continued after a meeting of EU finance ministers failed to yield an agreement on how to tackle the crisis.
London close: Rosier sentiment sees stocks hold on to gains
Equity markets in London managed to hold on to their gains by the close on Tuesday, as investors welcomed signs that the coronavirus spread in countries such as Italy and Spain is slowing, with the stocks most battered by the pandemic benefitting from the optimistic mood.
London close: Stocks finish stronger amid coronavirus curve hopes
London stocks held on to their gains for the close on Monday, even after the release of uninspiring data, as investors took heart from a slowdown in new coronavirus cases and deaths.
London close: Stocks finish weaker amid slew of dismal data
London stocks remained weaker by the close on Friday following the release of dismal UK services data, as investors digested a dismal US non-farm payrolls report amid ongoing concerns about the escalating coronavirus pandemic.
London close: Benchmark higher as oil prices, US jobless claims surge
London’s benchmark managed to close just above the waterline on Thursday, as investors digested a fresh record rise in the number of jobless claims stateside, as BP and Shell made the most of firmer oil prices.
London close: Stocks finish weaker as banks remain red
London stocks remained in the red by the close on Wednesday, after the release of weak UK manufacturing figures, and with banking plays under pressure as they were pressed to cancel their dividends to help weather the coronavirus pandemic.