Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.
(Sharecast News) - London's FTSE 100 was up 0.4% at 10,741.96 in afternoon trade on Thursday.
Advertising firm WPP was the top gainer as it reiterated its full-year guidance and posted a slight uptick in third-quarter revenues. In the three months to September end, revenue nudged up 0.5% on a reported and like-for-like basis to £3.3bn.
However, revenue less pass-through costs fell 2% to £2.4bn, or 2.1% on a like-for-like basis.
Haleon tumbled after the consumer healthcare firm cut its full-year organic revenue growth guidance, pointing to soft third-quarter cold and flu sales. The company now expects 2026 organic revenue growth of around 2.5%, down from previous guidance of 3% to 5%.
In the three months to September end, organic revenue growth was 2.6%, below the company's expectations, with price up 2.1% and volume/mix up 0.5%.
Haleon, which makes Sensodyne and Panadol, among others, hailed continued strength in Oral Health - which saw an 8.8% rise in organic revenue to £930m - but said its performance was held back by soft cold and flu consumption, which led to lower orders in North America.
St James's Place also lost ground despite saying that funds under management reached a record £242.4bn in the third quarter after another quarter of net inflows.
Lloyds Banking Group was under the cosh despite saying it was on track to meet 2026 guidance as it posted a rise in third-quarter pre-tax profit and net income that met analysts' expectations.
In the three months to September end, pre-tax profit increased to £2.3bn from £1.2bn in the same period a year earlier, versus expectations of £2.28bn. Net interest income was 10% higher at £3.8bn, in line with analysts' expectations, while net income came in at £5.1bn, up from £4.6bn and also broadly in line with expectations.
Neil Wilson, UK investor strategist at Saxo Markets, said the reaction to the results "implies investors are worried about the tax increases in the Budget and requiring a higher bar for earnings".
FTSE 100 - Risers
WPP (WPP) 395.90p 3.31%
BAE Systems (BA.) 2,086.00p 3.06%
Melrose Industries (MRO) 475.40p 2.55%
ICG (ICG) 1,848.00p 2.44%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 13,048.00p 2.38%
Babcock International Group (BAB) 1,033.00p 2.38%
London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) 9,390.00p 2.29%
Barratt Redrow (BTRW) 322.20p 2.25%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 2,124.00p 2.22%
British Land Company (BLND) 422.40p 2.12%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Haleon (HLN) 315.20p -15.51%
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 99.00p -4.89%
St James's Place (STJ) 1,064.50p -4.18%
Metlen Energy & Metals (MTLN) 48.09p -2.43%
NATWEST GROUP (NWG) 637.20p -1.73%
Diageo (DGE) 1,709.00p -1.44%
Glencore (GLEN) 535.70p -1.37%
Fresnillo (FRES) 2,360.00p -1.30%
GSK (GSK) 1,808.50p -1.23%
Computacenter (CCC) 5,215.00p -1.04%
