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UK Economy News 3 February 2026 - 7 February 2026

Imperial Brands share price jumps 1.5% into weekend as dividend dates and BoE cut bets loom

Imperial Brands share price jumps 1.5% into weekend as dividend dates and BoE cut bets loom

Imperial Brands shares closed up 1.49% at 3,341p in London on Friday, outpacing the FTSE 100. The company flagged a final dividend for March 31, with Feb. 20 as the record date. Trading volume was below average, and the stock remains about 8% below its December high. UK rate-cut bets increased after the Bank of England’s split vote this week.
7 February 2026
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SSE share price near 2,510p as BoE rate-cut bets return; UK GDP and SSE updates ahead

SSE share price near 2,510p as BoE rate-cut bets return; UK GDP and SSE updates ahead

SSE shares closed Friday at 2,510p, up 1.2%, with about 6.6 million shares traded. The company’s transmission arm secured over £6.9 million in Ofgem innovation funding for four projects. Investors adjusted UK rate-cut bets after a split Bank of England decision. SSE maintained 2025/26 earnings guidance and reported a 7% rise in renewables output.
7 February 2026
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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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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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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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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

Amazon stock (AMZN) slides on $200 billion AI capex plan — what Wall Street watches next week

Amazon stock (AMZN) slides on $200 billion AI capex plan — what Wall Street watches next week

7 February 2026
Amazon shares fell 5.6% to $210.32 on Friday after the company forecast 2026 capital spending would jump to $200 billion, up more than 50% from 2025. The drop came as the Dow closed above 50,000 for the first time. Amazon reported fourth-quarter net sales up 14% to $213.4 billion and operating income at $25 billion. Trading in Amazon was volatile, with 179 million shares changing hands.
Bitcoin price wobbles below $69,000 on weekend — what matters before Monday’s reopen

Bitcoin price wobbles below $69,000 on weekend — what matters before Monday’s reopen

7 February 2026
Bitcoin fell 1.1% to $68,917 Saturday after volatile trading, while Ether held near $2,036. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw $330.7 million in net inflows on Feb. 6, reversing outflows the previous day. Strategy shares rebounded after hitting a low of $111.27 Thursday. Traders are watching Monday’s U.S. market open and the upcoming inflation report for direction.
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