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UK Economy News 4 February 2026 - 6 February 2026

UK Stock Market Forecast 2026: FTSE 100 clings to rate-cut bets as AI jitters hit data stocks

UK Stock Market Forecast 2026: FTSE 100 clings to rate-cut bets as AI jitters hit data stocks

London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2% by midday Friday, led by gains in Barclays, NatWest, and Lloyds, while RELX dropped 3.5% amid an AI selloff. The Bank of England held rates at 3.75% after a narrow vote and signaled possible cuts if inflation slows. Sterling fell 0.6% against the dollar. Markets now expect the Bank Rate to fall to 3.0% by March 2027.
6 February 2026
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National Grid share price today: NG edges lower as UK rate-cut bets stay in focus

National Grid share price today: NG edges lower as UK rate-cut bets stay in focus

National Grid shares dipped 0.04% to 1,281.5 pence early Friday, trading near a 52-week high after the Bank of England held rates at 3.75% in a close vote. Utilities saw muted moves as investors weighed rate-cut signals and sector peers’ spending plans. CEO Zoë Yujnovich received a five-year share option, regulatory filings show. National Grid’s full-year results are due May 14.
6 February 2026
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NatWest stock tries to bounce after BoE spooks UK banks — what to watch before earnings

NatWest stock tries to bounce after BoE spooks UK banks — what to watch before earnings

NatWest shares rose 0.7% to 654.6 pence early Friday, recovering some ground after a 6% drop Thursday triggered by the Bank of England’s split vote on rates. The BoE kept its rate at 3.75% but signaled possible cuts ahead. NatWest repurchased over 800,000 shares this week and will release annual results next Friday.
6 February 2026
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HSBC stock price steadies after BoE vote jolts UK banks, earnings loom

HSBC stock price steadies after BoE vote jolts UK banks, earnings loom

HSBC shares rose 0.2% to 1,280 pence in early London trading Friday, rebounding after UK banks slid on the Bank of England’s close 5-4 vote to hold rates at 3.75%. HSBC recently increased its stake in International Personal Finance to 9.71%. Investors await HSBC’s annual results on February 25, with focus on guidance and dividends.
6 February 2026
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FTSE 100 slips from highs as Bank of England looms; Shell results hit UK shares today

FTSE 100 slips from highs as Bank of England looms; Shell results hit UK shares today

UK stocks slipped Thursday, with the FTSE 100 down 0.2% to 10,382 by 1052 GMT as investors awaited the Bank of England’s rate decision. Shell fell 1.9% after missing profit forecasts but kept its buyback pace. Vodafone dropped 4.7% after launching a €500 million buyback. The STOXX 600 lost 0.5% amid mixed European earnings.
5 February 2026
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Prudential plc stock slips after buyback update as BoE decision and March results loom

Prudential plc stock slips after buyback update as BoE decision and March results loom

Prudential shares fell 0.5% to 1,210 pence in early London trading Thursday after the insurer bought back 286,469 shares at an average £12.29 each, with plans to cancel them. The buyback is part of a $1.2 billion repurchase program. Investors are watching for Prudential’s full-year results next month and the Bank of England’s rate decision later today.
5 February 2026
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NatWest share price slips as BoE rate call, Evelyn Partners bid talk crowd the tape

NatWest share price slips as BoE rate call, Evelyn Partners bid talk crowd the tape

NatWest shares fell 0.2% to 690.4 pence in early London trading, after touching 676.4 pence. Investors are watching for the Bank of England’s rate decision at midday and reports that NatWest and Barclays will bid over £2 billion for Evelyn Partners. NatWest announced a £10 billion social housing funding package and confirmed it met a previous lending target early. Annual results are due Feb. 13.
5 February 2026
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Bank of England rate decision: Traders brace for a 3.75% hold as UK inflation stays above target

Bank of England rate decision: Traders brace for a 3.75% hold as UK inflation stays above target

The Bank of England is expected to keep its Bank Rate at 3.75% on Thursday, with inflation still at 3.4% and signs of stronger demand emerging. Sterling hit a five-month high against the euro, while the FTSE 100 reached a record 10,402.34 points. January’s UK services PMI rose to 54.0, but hiring fell as firms faced higher payroll costs. Markets now expect about 35 basis points of BoE rate cuts by year-end.
5 February 2026
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FTSE 100 breaks 10,400 as Zurich-Beazley bid and GSK lift UK stocks ahead of BoE

FTSE 100 breaks 10,400 as Zurich-Beazley bid and GSK lift UK stocks ahead of BoE

FTSE 100 rose 1.0% to 10,418.51 by mid-morning Wednesday, with Beazley shares jumping nearly 9% after Zurich raised its takeover bid. GSK gained 2.3% on a positive long-term outlook. AI-linked stocks like RELX and LSEG fell again after recent tech sector jitters. Sterling hit a five-month high against the euro ahead of the Bank of England’s rate decision.
4 February 2026
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Standard Chartered share price climbs ahead of BoE as STAN.L hovers near 52-week high

Standard Chartered share price climbs ahead of BoE as STAN.L hovers near 52-week high

Standard Chartered shares rose 1.2% to 1,901.5 pence in early London trading Wednesday, holding near recent highs after hitting a 52-week peak on Monday. Investors are watching for the Bank of England’s rate decision Thursday and the bank’s full-year results due Feb. 24. Trading volume on Monday was 2.1 million shares, below the 50-day average.
4 February 2026
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National Grid share price rises in London as €650m green bond terms land, Ofgem decision in view

National Grid share price rises in London as €650m green bond terms land, Ofgem decision in view

National Grid shares rose 0.6% to 1,264 pence in early London trading after its UK transmission unit set final terms for a €650 million green bond maturing in 2034. The bond carries a 3.563% coupon and is part of the group’s €20 billion note programme. Investors are watching Ofgem’s consultation on network licence changes, with responses due by March 2.
4 February 2026
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Stock Market Today

Wall Street Feels the Heat (and Thrill): Fed Cuts, Tariffs & Mega-Mergers Set NYSE Buzz

Stock Market Today 07.02.2026

7 February 2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: February 7, 2026, 12:00 AM ESTUpdated: February 7, 2026, 12:46 AM EST Sensex and Nifty Bounce Back Amid IT Sector Weakness, Eyes on US-India Trade Deal February 7, 2026, 12:46 AM EST. India's Sensex rose 0.3% to 83,580.40 and Nifty gained 0.2% to 25,693.7 on Friday, recovering from early losses. The Nifty IT index dropped 1.5%, extending a weekly fall of 5%, pressured by a global tech sell-off linked to rising AI spending and competition. Foreign investors bought equities worth ₹1,951 crore, while domestic institutions sold ₹1,265 crore. The market is cautiously awaiting details of the US-India
Seagate (STX) stock jumps nearly 6% as Citi hikes target — what to watch next week

Seagate (STX) stock jumps nearly 6% as Citi hikes target — what to watch next week

7 February 2026
Seagate shares rose 5.9% to $429.32 Friday after Citigroup raised its price target to $480 and reiterated a buy rating. The gain ended a two-day slide but left the stock 6.6% below its Feb. 3 high. CEO Dave Mosley sold 20,000 shares on Feb. 2 under a pre-arranged plan, SEC filings show. U.S. jobs and inflation data next week are seen as key tests for tech stocks.
Cummins (CMI) stock price rebounds after earnings whipsaw as investors eye data-center power demand

Cummins (CMI) stock price rebounds after earnings whipsaw as investors eye data-center power demand

7 February 2026
Cummins shares jumped 6.8% to $577.73 Friday, recovering from a nearly 9% post-earnings drop the day before. The company reported Q4 revenue up 1% to $8.54 billion, took a $218 million charge tied to its hydrogen business, and guided for 2026 EBITDA of 17–18% of sales. Demand for data center generators offset weakness in North American truck markets. Analyst reaction was mixed; Truist raised its price target.
Corning stock hits first record close since 2000 as jobs, CPI data loom

Corning stock hits first record close since 2000 as jobs, CPI data loom

7 February 2026
Corning shares surged 8.3% to $122.16 Friday, their highest close since the dot-com era, after Meta agreed to buy up to $6 billion in fiber-optic cables. The stock is up 40% since late 2025, fueled by strong first-quarter guidance and AI data-center demand. Insiders sold shares following the rally, SEC filings show. Investors await next week’s U.S. jobs and inflation data for rate signals.
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