UK Stock Market Today (19 December 2025): FTSE 100 Faces Volatile Session as Retail Sales Miss, Borrowing Stays Elevated and FTSE Rebalance Hits at the Close
FTSE 100 futures pointed to a weaker open Friday, down about 0.4%, following Thursday’s 0.7% gain after the Bank of England cut rates by 25 basis points in a narrow 5–4 vote. The FTSE Russell December quarterly review takes effect today, likely triggering index-related flows. UK retail sales data showed consumers remained cautious in November. Sterling rebounded and gilt yields rose after the BoE’s decision.