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UK Economy News 5 January 2026 - 7 January 2026

FTSE 100 Forecast 2026: UK Stock Market Pulls Back From Records as Oil Slides

FTSE 100 Forecast 2026: UK Stock Market Pulls Back From Records as Oil Slides

London, Jan 7, 2026, 10:52 GMT — Regular session UK shares slipped on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 down 0.7% at 10,054.34 points by 1052 GMT. BP and several miners were among the heaviest drags after the benchmark’s recent run of records. Hargreaves Lansdown The index only logged its first close above 10,000 on Monday at 10,004.57, led by precious-metal miners and defence stocks after the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The UK stock market forecast for 2026 now hinges on whether that geopolitical bid and expectations of Bank of England easing can outlast swings in oil and
7 January 2026
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Lloyds share price dips below 100p as Barclays backs the stock ahead of January results

Lloyds share price dips below 100p as Barclays backs the stock ahead of January results

London, Jan 7, 2026, 10:34 GMT — Regular session Lloyds Banking Group plc (LLOY.L) shares were down 0.9% at 99.40 pence by 1019 GMT, dipping below the 100 pence level after opening at 100.30 pence. The stock traded between 99.08 and 100.50 pence and is not far from a 52-week high of 101.70 pence. The pullback came as fresh survey data underlined a weak UK building backdrop, a sensitive area for lenders with big mortgage books. The S&P Global/CIPS construction PMI printed 40.1 for December, and a housing-related sub-index dropped to 33.5, its weakest since May 2020. Why it matters
7 January 2026
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National Grid shares edge higher as UK utility nears 52-week high ahead of Jan 13 dividend

National Grid shares edge higher as UK utility nears 52-week high ahead of Jan 13 dividend

London, Jan 7, 2026, 08:38 (GMT) — Regular session National Grid (NG.L) shares rose in early London trade on Wednesday, holding near recent highs after a strong prior session. The stock was up 0.5% at 1,178 pence by 0814 GMT, after touching 1,185 pence on Tuesday and closing at 1,172 pence, data from Shareprices.com showed. The move comes as UK equities start 2026 near record territory, with the FTSE 100 finishing Tuesday at an all-time high after a broad rally led by heavyweight healthcare names. Investors have also been pricing in Bank of England rate cuts later this year, a
7 January 2026
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FTSE 100 above 10,000 again as Next jumps — what’s moving UK stocks today

FTSE 100 above 10,000 again as Next jumps — what’s moving UK stocks today

London, Jan 6, 2026, 10:56 GMT — Regular session The UK’s FTSE 100 edged higher on Tuesday and held above the 10,000 mark, helped by a jump in Next after the clothing retailer raised its profit outlook. The blue-chip index was up 0.6% at 10,061 points, according to LSEG data. Reuters+1 The move keeps a strong start to 2026 intact for London equities, after the FTSE 100 notched its first ever close above 10,000 on Monday. Strategists have pointed to heavyweight exposure to miners, energy and banks — sectors that tend to benefit when commodity prices are firm and interest
6 January 2026
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SSE shares edge up in London after SSEN flags January flexibility auction

SSE shares edge up in London after SSEN flags January flexibility auction

London, Jan 6, 2026, 10:07 GMT — Regular session SSE Plc (SSE.L) shares edged higher in London trade on Tuesday, with investors weighing fresh signals from its power networks arm as Britain’s grid upgrade cycle gathers pace. The stock was up 0.7% at 2,271 pence by 1007 GMT, after closing at 2,254, and has traded between 2,249 and 2,277 on the day. Investing.com The move matters because SSE sits at the centre of Britain’s push to reinforce electricity networks and connect more renewable generation and electrified demand. For equity investors, regulated networks can offer steadier cash flows than power generation,
6 January 2026
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National Grid plc share price ticks up as UK power-grid hiring boom keeps utilities in focus

National Grid plc share price ticks up as UK power-grid hiring boom keeps utilities in focus

London, Jan 6, 2026, 08:56 GMT — Regular session National Grid (NG.L) shares edged up 0.3% to 1,153.5 pence by 0856 GMT on Tuesday, after trading between 1,141.0 and 1,155.5 earlier in the session, according to Investing.com data. The stock has drawn renewed attention at the start of 2026 as investors weigh the scale of spending required to reinforce power networks and connect new demand, from renewables to data centres. For regulated utilities, those investment plans can lock in long-duration cashflows — but they also raise questions over funding costs and delivery risk. Rate expectations are part of that equation.
6 January 2026
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Experian (EXPN.L) stock slips after Ascend upgrade adds UK business data — here’s what investors watch next

Experian (EXPN.L) stock slips after Ascend upgrade adds UK business data — here’s what investors watch next

London, Jan 6, 2026, 08:36 GMT — Regular session Experian PLC (EXPN.L) shares fell 0.7% to 3,403 pence by 08:28 GMT on Tuesday, down 24 pence from the prior close. The stock traded between 3,401 and 3,431 pence and has a 52-week range of 3,049 to 4,101 pence. google.com The pullback comes as investors gauge whether Experian can re-accelerate growth in its analytics and software offerings, which underpin lenders’ credit decisions and monitoring. Those products are a focus as banks look to automate underwriting and spot risk earlier. Experian reported 8% organic revenue growth in the first half, where “organic”
6 January 2026
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Lloyds Banking Group share price rises to 1-year high as mortgage cuts and BoE data sharpen results focus

Lloyds Banking Group share price rises to 1-year high as mortgage cuts and BoE data sharpen results focus

London, January 6, 2026, 08:35 (GMT) — Regular session Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L) shares rose 1.6% to 101.51 pence by 0835 GMT, after touching 101.70 pence — the top of their 52-week range. Investing.com The move puts the spotlight back on a familiar pressure point for the lender: UK mortgages. With borrowers refinancing and lenders fighting for new business, investors are trying to read what happens next to volumes and pricing into the results season. Bank of England data on Monday showed net consumer borrowing increased by 2.08 billion pounds ($2.79 billion) in November — the biggest rise since November
6 January 2026
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HSBC stock holds steady as mortgage-rate cuts heat up UK lending fight — what investors watch next

HSBC stock holds steady as mortgage-rate cuts heat up UK lending fight — what investors watch next

London, Jan 6, 2026, 08:11 GMT — Regular session HSBC Holdings Plc shares were unchanged in early London trading on Tuesday after the lender cut mortgage rates across a wide set of UK products, stepping up competition at the start of the year. HSBC was last flat at 1,207.2 pence. HSBC The move matters because mortgage pricing is a front-line battleground for UK banks, shaping loan growth and the profit they make on lending. A sharper push for volume can come at a cost if banks start undercutting each other. That tension is back in focus as rate expectations shift
6 January 2026
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UK consumer borrowing jumps as mortgage approvals dip — what the Bank of England data shows

UK consumer borrowing jumps as mortgage approvals dip — what the Bank of England data shows

London, January 6, 2026, 07:36 GMT British consumer borrowing rose by the most in two years in November, while mortgage approvals for house purchases edged lower, Bank of England data showed on Monday. Consumer borrowing grew by a net 2.08 billion pounds ($2.79 billion) during the month and mortgage approvals fell to 64,530 from 65,010 in October, the data showed. “Speculation about tax rises ahead of November’s Budget didn’t influence households’ spending decisions too much,” said Alex Kerr, UK economist at Capital Economics. Reuters The figures matter because they offer a quick read on whether household demand is holding up
6 January 2026
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Claire’s and TOFS teeter on administration as UK high street faces fresh jobs shock

Claire’s and TOFS teeter on administration as UK high street faces fresh jobs shock

London, January 5, 2026, 17:53 GMT Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) are close to filing notices of intention to appoint administrators, a step that would shield the retailers from creditor action while they pursue a rescue, Sky News reported on Monday. ( source) The chains employ about 2,500 people and trade from just over 300 stores, the report said. The filings would come just after the Christmas trading period, when UK retailers typically make a large share of annual profit. The timing matters because it lands at the start of the year, as large retailers prepare to disclose
5 January 2026
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Lloyds stock slips as HSBC mortgage rate cuts rekindle UK price-war talk

Lloyds stock slips as HSBC mortgage rate cuts rekindle UK price-war talk

LONDON, Jan 5, 2026, 08:45 GMT — Regular session Shares of Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L) fell in early London trading on Monday, sliding 1.1% to 98.2 pence by 0830 GMT, after opening at 99.9 pence.  Investing The move matters because Lloyds is Britain’s biggest mortgage lender and its earnings are sensitive to shifts in mortgage pricing. Tighter spreads can pinch net interest margin — the gap between what a bank earns on loans and pays on deposits.  Reuters Brokers said HSBC’s move to cut mortgage rates from Jan. 5 risks pulling rivals into a more aggressive battle for new business,
5 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

CapitaLand Investment share price jumps as CapitaLand REIT payouts roll in — what’s next for 9CI

CapitaLand Investment share price jumps as CapitaLand REIT payouts roll in — what’s next for 9CI

7 February 2026
CapitaLand Investment shares rose 1.3% to S$3.12 on Friday, bucking a 0.8% drop in Singapore’s benchmark index. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust reported a 16.4% jump in second-half distributable income, while CapitaLand Ascendas REIT posted a 1.4% full-year rise. CapitaLand China Trust saw full-year DPU fall to 4.82 cents amid weaker yuan and occupancy. CLI reports FY2025 results on Feb. 11.
Keppel stock holds near 12-year high after profit jump, special dividend; buyback adds support

Keppel stock holds near 12-year high after profit jump, special dividend; buyback adds support

7 February 2026
Keppel shares closed at S$11.64 on Friday, up 0.17%, after surging 6.1% the previous day on stronger FY2025 profit and a larger dividend plan. The company bought back 151,400 shares for about S$1.74 million. Keppel reported a 29% rise in full-year profit to S$1.02 billion and proposed a total distribution of 47 cents per share, including a special dividend partly paid in Keppel REIT units.
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