U.K. stocks finished the session in the red on Monday, as sector-specific weakness in Pharmaceuticals & Biotech, Tobacco and Fixed Line Telecommunications contributed to an overall drag on the market.
At the close in London the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 was down 0.17%.
Among individual names, Vistry Group PLC (LON:VTYV) was the session's top gainer, rising 7.95% - a 23.20 point increase - to close at 315.00. Barratt Redrow PLC (LON:BTRW) added 3.82%, up 11.20 points to finish at 304.50, while Rentokil Initial PLC (LON:RTO) gained 3.48%, or 12.00 points, to end the day at 356.80.
Not all stocks participated in the rally. AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN) led the decliners, falling 8.79%, a drop of 1,110.50 points, to close at 11,521.50. Coca Cola HBC AG (LON:CCH) slipped 2.52% (-126.00 points) to 4,884.00 and British American Tobacco PLC (LON:BATS) declined 2.28%, or 104.00 points, to finish at 4,466.00.
Market breadth on the London Stock Exchange showed more advancing issues than decliners, with 1,095 stocks rising, 604 falling and 554 unchanged.
Commodities and energy
Gold futures for December delivery fell 0.39%, down $16.18, to $4,090.82 a troy ounce. Oil prices were notably weaker: crude for September delivery dropped 5.91%, or $5.00, to $79.67 a barrel, while the October Brent contract declined 4.75%, or $4.18, to trade at $83.75 a barrel.
Currencies and indexes
In FX trading, GBP/USD moved lower by 0.38% to 1.34. EUR/GBP was cited as unchanged 0.19% at 0.86. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.05%, trading at 99.84.
The session highlighted a split market where select consumer and construction-related names posted gains while larger-cap pharmaceutical and tobacco stocks posted sharp declines. Overall, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100's modest fall reflected these concentrated moves across sectors and individual issues.
Below are the closing moves highlighted during the session:
- Vistry Group PLC (VTYV): +7.95% to 315.00
- Barratt Redrow PLC (BTRW): +3.82% to 304.50
- Rentokil Initial PLC (RTO): +3.48% to 356.80
- AstraZeneca PLC (AZN): -8.79% to 11,521.50
- Coca Cola HBC AG (CCH): -2.52% to 4,884.00
- British American Tobacco PLC (BATS): -2.28% to 4,466.00
Commodities and currency movements may continue to influence market direction in coming sessions, given the size of oil's decline and the slight strengthening of the dollar.