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Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise

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Stock Market News: UK Forecast and Technical Analysis

Today, the UK stock market saw the FTSE 250 increase by 195 points (0.9%) to 21,628, nearly matching the 1.2% increase in the FTSE 100, driven largely by gains in mining stocks. This positive momentum is creating a bullish sentiment in the market.

The two London indices are leading the European market this morning. The DAX is up 0.7% in Germany, followed by the FTSE MIB in Italy, the CAC 40 in France, and the IBEX 35 in Spain, all of which are up 0.4%, reinforcing the optimistic outlook across Europe.

The gain for the Euro Stoxx 600 is just under 1%. Risers include Just Eat Takeaway, rising 17%; TeamViewer, the software company and owner of Kenco, JD Peet.

Among the higher risers, Wickes Group PLC, one of the UK’s listed companies, has seen a 3.3% increase in revenue despite facing difficulties retaining customers for its custom kitchen, home office installation, and bathroom services.

In the first half, this segment’s revenues were destroyed by 17%, offsetting the 1% growth in revenue in its core retail offering.

GSK Shares Decline

GSK PLC, the drugmaker listed on the FTSE 100, raised its annual earnings and sales forecasts due to strong second-quarter performance from HIV and cancer treatments, but the stock is currently down 2.5%.

Core EPS profits are now expected to increase by 10-12% in 2024, up from the previous guidance of 8-10%. Meanwhile, the overall profits are expected to increase by 7-9%, compared to the earlier estimate of 5-7%.

Nonetheless, there were some omissions in the data: vaccination profit fell 9% short of expectations as shingles treatment Shingrix was a 20% disappointment as US sales plummeted 36%.

This is due to decreased demand and inventory reductions. However, it is important to note that international sales make up about 64% of total revenue.

General medicine, oncology, and HIV all performed better than anticipated.

GSK/GBX 5-Day Chart

Growth Expectation For FTSE 250

In the last five years, Greggs’ shares have increased by 40%, outpacing the FTSE 250 London stock. The company’s first-half (H1) results have given them an additional 5% boost.

The most recent data shows a 16% increase in profit before taxes and a 14% increase in sales.

However, despite these gains, projections indicate a minor decline in Greggs’ EPS for the full year 2024. However, the company’s first-half revenue increased by only 15%.

It is a basic diluted estimate that does not account for anomalies. However, it raises the possibility that projections are simply exaggerating the situation.

Thanks to these expenditures and a well-defined expansion plan, Greggs has produced substantial returns for its owners.

For the 2023 fiscal year, Greggs reported record yearly sales of £1.8 billion and a profit before taxes of £188.3 million.

The company also disclosed a significant capital investment program aimed at enhancing its manufacturing capacity and expanding its capacity to accommodate approximately 3,500 stores throughout the United Kingdom.

UK Stock Market Today: FTSE Stock Surge

Among the top risers in the FTSE, Antofagasta PLC and Rio Tinto have shown significant gains. Antofagasta PLC saw notable gains despite no specific news being released. Rio Tinto’s positive results, which included a 1.8% increase in first-half profit, contributed to a 1% rise in its shares and may have influenced the broader market.

More significantly, there are rumours that the Anglo-Australian miner Antofagasta is eyeing a major opportunity in the copper industry, further boosting investor confidence.

The Footsie has continued to rise, hitting a two-month peak of nearly 8,374 following a 1.2% increase. This is the highest value for the London standard since May 22nd, topping 8,368.

HSBC Makes a £3 Billion Buyback

Following a largely flat first half of the year, HSBC Holdings PLC announced an additional interim dividend and a £3 billion share buyback.

For the first half of 2024, the £0.10 per share dividend will equate to 20 cents, unchanged from the previous year. The share buyback is anticipated to be finished in three months.

The bank, with a focus on Asia, reported a first-half pre-tax profit of $21.6 billion, which was marginally lower than the same period last year, even though revenue increased 1% to $37.3 billion and certain “strategic transactions” had a net positive revenue impact of $0.2 billion.

The second quarter’s $16.5 billion in revenues exceeded analysts’ expectations, and the quarter’s $8.9 billion profit before taxes was significantly more than the $7.8 billion they had predicted.

Despite being lower than the 1.53% consensus estimate, the net interest margin improved from 1.7% to 1.62% a year ago due to an increase in the finance cost of average profit liabilities. These developments are significant for the stock market news UK, as they may influence investor sentiment and market trends.

FTSE 250 Share Price

  • Value: 21,572.34
  • Net Variation: 139.83
  • High/Low: 21,649.47 / 21,430.07
  • Previously closed price: 21,432.51
  • 52WK range: 16,783.09 – 21,432.51
  • Launch date: October 12th 1992
  • Constituents number: 250
  • Net MCap: 324,478
  • Dividend Yield: 3.35%
  • Average: 1,298
  • Largest: 4,059
  • Smallest: 81
  • Median: 1,085

FTSE 100 Share Price

  • Value: 8,390.33
  • Previous Close: 8,292.35
  • Open Price: 8,292.35
  • Day low: 8,235.55
  • Day High: 8,297.92
  • 52-week low: 7,215.76
  • 52-week high: 8,474.41

In summary, today’s gains on the stock market news UK are remarkable, as the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices both saw an increase. Mining stocks, especially in the FTSE 100, have primarily driven these gains. Major indices have also increased throughout Europe, indicating an optimistic trend in the market.

While GSK continues to face difficulties even after increasing its earnings projections, Greggs has shown remarkable growth in both its stock price as well as profitability. Despite a little fluctuation in its profit margins, HSBC’s announcement of a significant share buyback and dividend demonstrates the strength of its financial position.

The post Stock Market News UK Update: FTSE 100 & 250 Rise appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.

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Stock

Stock Market Shifts Gears: Indexes Plunge After Climb

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Tuesday’s stock market action marked a reversal in investor sentiment, with the broader indexes closing lower. The S&P 500 ($SPX), Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ), and Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) are still below their 200-day simple moving average (SMA). Investor anxiety is elevated ahead of the Fed’s culmination of its two-day policy meeting. The risk-off sentiment is back, with gold and silver prices rallying. But it may not all be due to the risk-off mode, as lower US Treasury yields and the lower US dollar may have also played a role in the precious metal rally. The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) hit a new all-time high and silver prices are on the rise.

Technology and consumer discretionary were Tuesday’s worst-performing sectors, while Energy and Health Care took the lead but rose modestly. Overall, it was a pretty red day for U.S. equities (see the StockCharts MarketCarpet below).

FIGURE 1. A SEA OF RED. Tuesday’s StockCharts MarketCarpet was a sea of red with specks of green in the Energy and Health Care, Real Estate, Materials, and Industrials sectors.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The Mag 7 Unwind

The mega-cap, Mag 7 stocks stand out strongly in Tuesday’s MarketCarpet. The daily chart of the Roundhill Big Tech ETF (MAGS) below shows how these stocks are in a steep fall. The ETF fell below its 50-day SMA and struggled to retain its position above it. The fall from the 50-day to the 200-day SMA was like an elevator ride down. MAGS managed to find a little resistance at its 200-day SMA, but that was short-lived. 

FIGURE 2. ROUNDHILL BIG TECH ETF (MAGS) SLIDES BELOW 200-DAY MOVING AVERAGE. After sliding below its 50-day SMA, MAGS fell hard and continued sliding as it broke below the 200-day SMA.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The rise in volume after MAGS fell below its 200-day SMA suggests there’s a lot more selling than buying. The relative strength index (RSI) is hovering above 30, which implies it isn’t oversold yet. So there’s a chance MAGS could fall lower, although it could reverse before dipping into oversold territory.

International Markets

Meanwhile, the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI), iShares MSCI Germany (EWG), iShares MSCI Italy ETF (EWI), and other European stock ETFs are rising. The daily chart of the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA), which has its top 10 holdings in European companies, is hitting all-time highs (see below).

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF ISHARES MSCI EAFE ETF. European stocks have been rising since early 2025. The 50-day SMA has crossed above the 200-day and price is well above the 50-day SMA.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

With elevated tariff uncertainty, a slowdown in the U.S. economy, and declining U.S. consumer confidence, it shouldn’t be surprising to see investors diversifying their holdings across different asset groups. This reiterates the importance of having a diversified portfolio spread across different sectors, precious metals, international stocks, and bonds. 

The Closing Bell

Tuesday’s reversal after a two-day winning streak suggests investor uncertainty remains prominent. The Federal Reserve policy meeting ends on Wednesday. Chairman Powell’s press conference is the main event to listen to on Wednesday, but really, any headline could rock the markets in either direction. The best you can do is stay diversified.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

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Stock

New SPX Correction Signal! How Long Will It Last?

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In this exclusive StockCharts video, Joe breaks down a new SPX correction signal using the monthly Directional Lines (DI), showing why this pullback could take time to play out. He explains how DI lines influence the ADX slope and how this impacts shorter-term patterns. Joe also reveals a strong area in the commodity market defying the correction and highlights top stocks within that sector. Plus, he analyzes QQQ and IWM, covering their recent weakness and key resistance levels, before analyzing viewer symbol requests for the week, including ADMA, CSCO, and more.

This video was originally published on March 19, 2025. Click this link to watch on Joe’s dedicated page.

Archived videos from Joe are available at this link. Send symbol requests to stocktalk@stockcharts.com; you can also submit a request in the comments section below the video on YouTube. Symbol Requests can be sent in throughout the week prior to the next show.

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Investing

Van Eck Opposes Equinox Gold’s US$1.8 Billion Takeover of Calibre Mining

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Calibre Mining’s (TSX:CXB,OTCQX:CXBMF)largest shareholder has come out against Equinox Gold’s (TSX:EQX,NYSEAMERICAN:EQX) US$1.8 billion takeover bid, casting doubt over the year’s biggest gold deal.

According to Bloomberg, Van Eck Associates, which holds an 8.69 percent stake in Calibre, has voiced its opposition, citing a lack of operational synergies and concerns over the dilution of Calibre’s quality.

Van Eck was also the second largest investor in Equinox as of December 31, 2024.

The proposed all-stock transaction, announced in February, aims to create a mid-tier gold producer with annual output of approximately 1.2 million ounces. However, the deal still requires shareholder and regulatory approval. Both companies have scheduled shareholder votes, with two-thirds majorities required for approval.

“We are not supportive of this transaction. We don’t see any synergies between any of the companies’ operations,” Imaru Casanova, portfolio manager at Van Eck’s International Investors Gold Fund, said in an email to Bloomberg on Tuesday (March 18). “Both operate in the Americas, but in vastly different locations.”

Casanova also emphasized that Calibre was poised for a revaluation as it advanced its flagship Valentine project in Newfoundland, Canada. Valentine is set to become Atlantic Canada’s largest gold mine.

Equinox operates mines across Canada, Mexico, Brazil and the US, while Calibre’s assets are concentrated in Nicaragua and the US. The deal would make the combined company one of the top 15 global gold producers.

Equinox declined to comment on Van Eck’s opposition, while Calibre did not immediately respond to inquiries.

The Equinox-Calibre deal is part of a broader trend of consolidation in the gold sector, driven by gold’s surging price and strong company balance sheets. However, investors remain cautious, given the industry’s history of high-priced mergers that fail to generate expected returns. Many mining mergers since 2010 have struggled to deliver, with industry reports highlighting skepticism due to overvalued acquisitions and underperforming transactions.

As mentioned, the purchase still requires approval from shareholders and regulatory bodies.

With Van Eck’s significant opposition, other institutional investors may reconsider their stance before the vote.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investing

Gold Price Hits New Record as Fed Holds Rates Steady

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The US Federal Reserve held its second meeting of the year from Tuesday (March 18) to Wednesday (March 19) amid broad economic chaos caused by the Trump administration’s tariff threats.

As was widely expected, the central bank left interest rates at 4.25 to 4.5 percent, a range it set at its November meeting; it also said it will slow the pace at which it is shrinking its balance sheet.

In his post-meeting remarks, Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed remains focused on its dual mandate of maximum employment and price stability. He noted that labor market conditions are “solid” and said inflation has moved closer to the Fed’s 2 percent target, although he did acknowledge that it remains “somewhat elevated.”

The US consumer price index (CPI) was up 3 percent year-on-year in January, up slightly from 2.9 percent in December. CPI fell marginally in February to come in at 2.8 percent. The US personal consumption expenditures price index has also remained relatively flat, with a 2.5 percent year-on-year rise in January versus December’s 2.6 percent.

The sticky inflation numbers come against a backdrop of global uncertainty as US President Donald Trump implements and threatens tariff action. Tariffs could drive consumer prices higher on critical goods for US consumers, including new gasoline, homes and cars, as the US relies on oil, lumber and steel imports from Canada.

Powell noted that uncertainty is running high with Trump now in office, saying that his administration is making policy changes in four key areas: trade, immigration, fiscal policy and regulation.

“It is the net effect of these policy changes that will matter for the economy and the path of monetary policy. While there have been recent developments in some of these areas, especially trade, uncertainty around changes and their economic outlook is high,” Powell said, adding that the Fed is focusing on ‘separating the signal from the noise.’

The Fed will adjust its policy based on incoming data, and is well positioned to wait for greater clarity.

When asked by a reporter why the Fed is still predicting two rate cuts this year despite waning consumer sentiment, Powell emphasized that the data shows the economy has remained strong.

“I would tell people that the economy seems to be healthy; we understand that sentiment seems to be quite negative at this time, and that probably has to do with turmoil at the beginning of an administration,” he said.

Following the Fed’s announcement, the gold price spiked to a new record high in the US$3,045 per ounce range. The silver price declined for most of the morning, but moved up after the Fed decision, staying above US$33.50 per ounce.

The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) climbed 1.04 percent to 5,675, while the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rose 1.25 percent to 19,707 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) moved up 0.83 percent to 41,920.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Investing

Crypto Market Recap: US Crypto Legislation “Imminent,” Coinbase Gets Bullish Rating

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (March 19) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) is currently trading at US$85,406.50, a 3.9 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The day’s trading range has seen a low of US$83,774.65 and a high of US$85,888.99.

Bitcoin performance, March 19, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$2,032.78, marking a 6.7 percent increase over the same period. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$2,007.43 and a high of US$2,055.77.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) is currently valued at US$132.97, up 7.1 percent over the past 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$128.10 and a high of US$133.60 on Wednesday.
  • XRP is trading at US$2.49, reflecting a 10.2 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$2.48 and a high of US$2.57.
  • Sui (SUI) is priced at US$2.43, showing a 6.9 percent increase over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$2.36 and a low of US$2.47.
  • Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.7324, reflecting a 5.3 percent increase over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price on Wednesday was US$0.7225, with a high of US$0.7436.

Crypto news to know

US lawmakers aim for August deadline on crypto regulations

Speaking at Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit in New York on Wednesday, Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith said US lawmakers are on track to establish rules for stablecoins and cryptocurrency market structure by August.

“I think we’re close to being able to get those done for August … they’re doing a lot of work on that behind the scenes right now,” Smith said at the event, which was attended by Cointelegraph.

Speaking at the summit on Tuesday (March 18), Bo Hines, executive director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, said legislation is “imminent” following the Senate Banking Committee’s approval of the GENIUS Act last week. “I think that stables could be on the president’s desk here in the next two months,” Hines said.

Institutional crypto investment on the rise

A recent report from Coinbase and EY-Parthenon reveals that institutional investors are increasing their engagement with cryptocurrencies in 2025. The survey, conducted in January with responses from 352 institutional investor firms, shows that 83 percent plan to increase their crypto allocations this year.

Furthermore, 59 percent intend to allocate over 5 percent of their assets under management to crypto, and 73 percent already hold assets beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, with SOL and XRP being the most popular. Additionally, 68 percent of respondents indicated a likelihood to purchase single-asset exchange-traded products for SOL and XRP.

Coinbase highlights the survey’s results in a press release, stating that ‘all signs indicate positive momentum’ for institutional crypto engagement in 2025, with increasing allocations, expanding use cases and adoption of new products.

Bernstein issues bullish rating for Coinbase

Bernstein’s Gautam Chhugani gave a bullish ‘outperform’ rating and a US$310 price target for cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN), betting on the Trump’s administration’s plans for a US digital asset framework to boost the crypto industry. Chhugani also foresees growth in the US market offsetting competition, and highlighted the strong momentum in Coinbase’s subscription and services business.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Editor's Pick

Canada condemns China executions of four Canadian drug convicts

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Canada said on Wednesday that China had executed four Canadian citizens on drugs smuggling charges earlier this year, and strongly condemned Beijing’s use of the death penalty.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told reporters that all four had been dual citizens and said Ottawa would ask for leniency for other Canadians facing the same fate.

“There are four Canadians that have been executed and therefore we are strongly condemning what happened,” she said, adding that all four had been convicted on drugs charges.

Separately, the Canadian Foreign Ministry said that Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian man sentenced to death in 2019 for drug smuggling, had not been executed.

Canada-China ties have been icy since 2018 when Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, was detained in Vancouver at the Trump administration’s request. China arrested two Canadians shortly afterwards.

Meng and the Canadian duo were released in 2021.

Earlier this month Beijing announced tariffs on over $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products, retaliating against levies Ottawa slapped on Chinese electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products last year.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa said Canada was making irresponsible remarks.

“China always imposed severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude towards the drug problem,” it said, without confirming that any executions had taken place.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Editor's Pick

Indonesia approves controversial law expanding role of military in government

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Indonesia’s parliament on Thursday passed contentious revisions to the country’s military law, which will allocate more civilian posts for military officers, and street protests against the changes are expected to take place.

The revisions have been criticized by civil society groups, who say it could take the world’s third-biggest democracy back to the draconian “New Order” era of former strongman president Suharto, when military officers dominated civilian affairs.

Speaker Puan Maharani led the unanimous vote in a plenary council and officially passed the law, saying that it was in accordance with the principle of democracy and human rights.

President Prabowo Subianto, who took office last October and was a special forces commander under Suharto, has been expanding the armed forces’ role into what were considered civilian areas, including his flagship program of free meals for children.

Rights groups have criticized the increased military involvement because they fear it may lead to abuses of power, human rights violations, and impunity from consequences for actions.

The government has said the bill requires officers to resign from the military before assuming civilian posts at departments such as the Attorney’s General Office and a lawmaker has said officers could not join state-owned companies, to counter concerns the military would be involved in business.

Protesters from several democracy groups and students have said they will stage rallies in front of the parliamentary building in Jakarta.

Some students had camped at the back gate of parliamentary building since Wednesday evening, protesting the law and demanding the government pull out all military personnel from civilian jobs.

Police officers forced them to leave the building but they refused, one protestor who declined to be named told Reuters. There were just a few dozen protesters at the time the bill was passed by parliament.

Military personnel were called in for security in the parliamentary building to assist police.

“The geopolitical changes and global military technology require the military to transform … to face conventional and non conventional conflicts,” Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told parliament, while defending the revised law.

“We will never disappoint the Indonesians in keeping our sovereignty,” he added, but did not specify what geopolitical challenges he was referring to.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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