London, Jan 31, 2026, 09:07 GMT — Market closed
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA closed Friday up 2.05% at £4.18, boosting British Airways’s parent company as markets headed into the weekend.
The market is closed for now, but crude could set the tone next. Brent crude has topped $70 a barrel, while OPEC+ is scheduled to meet Sunday. Five sources told Reuters the group is expected to maintain its halt on output hikes for March.
Risk appetite held steady on Friday, the FTSE 100 climbing 0.5% as the pound slipped 0.6% versus the dollar. Fiona Cincotta, senior market analyst at City Index, noted, “The weaker pound is obviously beneficial for the multinationals.” Reuters
Despite ongoing geopolitical turmoil, some economists remain confident that a surplus will dominate the oil market this year. A Reuters poll projects Brent crude to average around $62 in 2026. Norbert Ruecker of Julius Baer noted, “Geopolitics brings lots of noise … the oil market appears to be in a lasting surplus.” Reuters
Investors are turning to rivals for clues as the industry zeroes in on summer pricing. easyJet reported strong growth in summer bookings, describing January’s booking window as a record for both volume and revenue. Ryanair also highlighted a robust kickoff to 2026 bookings.
IAG’s portfolio includes Iberia, Vueling, and Aer Lingus, exposing it to the volatile dynamics of short-haul European flights as well as longer-haul routes where pricing and capacity changes hit hard.
Company news has been sparse recently. The most recent regulatory update on IAG’s UK feed came on Jan. 9, per Investegate’s RNS listing.
That leaves the stock reacting mainly to macro and sector cues: oil prices, the dollar’s movements, and what competitors report on summer ticket pricing and load factors — the percentage of seats sold.
The downside is clear. If fuel prices remain high and travelers cut back, margins could shrink fast—especially as airlines find it tough to raise ticket prices to cover the extra costs.
Investors are eyeing IAG’s FY-2025 results, set to drop on Feb. 27.
