The UK stock market may be treading water index‑wise today, but under the surface there’s a full‑on sprint going on among small and mid‑cap names. As traders wait for the US Federal Reserve’s latest rate decision, a cluster of UK stocks are posting double‑digit gains on fresh earnings, contract wins and restructuring news.
Below is a detailed look at today’s biggest risers across the London and Aquis markets on 10 December 2025, plus the news and analysis driving those moves.
Market snapshot: calm indices, noisy stock moves
- FTSE 100: Up around 0.1% in early trade at 9,647–9,648, as investors sit on their hands ahead of a widely expected 25 bps Fed rate cut later today.
- FTSE 250: Slightly weaker, down around 0.2% intraday near 21,870, despite a handful of standout mid‑cap winners.
- Yesterday’s close (Tuesday): The FTSE 100 ended almost flat at 9,642.01, with retail stocks dragging after data showed UK retail sales growth slowing in November — a theme still weighing on names like Next, M&S, and JD Sports today.
So while the benchmarks barely budge, several individual stocks are staging eye‑catching rallies.
Top 10 UK stock market gainers today (10 December 2025)
Live market data from TradingView shows the following as today’s biggest percentage risers on UK exchanges (prices in GBX, moves “today” as of time of writing).
- ProBiotix Health (PBX) – +18.92% to 6.60p
- Made Tech Group (MTEC) – +18.49% to 31.40p
- Bisichi (BISI) – +16.90% to 58.50p
- Wishbone Gold (WSBN) – +14.39% to 46.90p
- HemoGenyx Pharmaceuticals (HEMO) – +13.26% to 633p
- Power Metal Resources (POW) – +12.22% to 13.75p
- ProCook Group (PROC) – +12.12% to 37.00p
- ICFG Limited (ICFG) – +11.76% to 19.00p
- Tungsten West (TUN) – +10.49% to 8.95p
- DSW Capital (DSW) – +9.09% to 60.00p
Also surging but just outside this top 10 are SkinBioTherapeutics (SBTX), up about 7.8%, and Volution Group (FAN) and FirstGroup (FGP), each up more than 5% and leading the FTSE 250 risers list.
Let’s unpack the stories behind the biggest movers.
Earnings & upgrades: Made Tech and ProCook lead the “results rally”
Made Tech Group (MTEC): upgraded guidance fuels a tech bounce
Digital transformation specialist Made Tech is one of the day’s hottest stocks, jumping nearly 18.5%.
A trading update for H1 FY26 (six months to 30 November 2025) showed:
- Revenue up 27% year‑on‑year to £27.7m
- Adjusted EBITDA up 33% to £2.4m
- Net cash up from £9.1m to £11.9m, highlighting strong cash generation [1]
Management used that momentum to upgrade full‑year expectations, guiding to revenue around 10% higher than FY25 with improving margins. While bookings were softer earlier in the year – partly blamed on election‑related delays in government tendering – the company says pipeline conversion is improving into H2. [2]
Takeaway: Today’s spike suggests investors are rewarding profitable, cash‑generative growth stories in the UK tech space – particularly where upgraded guidance implies the worst of the public‑sector spending lull is over.
ProCook Group (PROC): record revenues, narrowing losses, double‑digit share price jump
Kitchenware retailer ProCook is up just over 12% after unveiling a strong interim results set for the 28 weeks to 12 October 2025. [3]
Key H1 FY26 numbers:
- Revenue +20.6% year‑on‑year to a record £34.1m
- Like‑for‑like revenue +8.1%, accelerating through the half (Q2 LFL +12.2%)
- Gross margin up 130 bps to 66.4%
- Reported EBITDA up from £0.7m to £2.3m (over triple)
- Operating loss narrowed to £1.5m from £2.1m [4]
A Sharecast note flags that ProCook has outperformed the wider UK kitchenware market and is seeing strong early trading into peak season (Black Friday and Christmas), with revenue in the eight weeks to 7 December up roughly 28% year‑on‑year. [5]
Takeaway: The market is clearly rewarding turnaround‑style retailers that can still grow revenue and expand margins in a weak consumer environment.
Restructurings & capital moves: Power Metal and Bisichi
Power Metal Resources (POW): capital reduction opens up flexibility
Mining minnow Power Metal Resources is up over 12% today. The catalyst: the company has received High Court approval for a share capital reduction first proposed in September. [6]
The reduction cancels paid‑up capital on deferred shares and clears the share premium and capital redemption reserves, creating distributable reserves the company can potentially use for future dividends or buybacks. Importantly, the move does not change the number of ordinary shares in issue. [7]
Takeaway: Investors often respond positively when small resource companies simplify their capital structures and create more options for capital returns – even if no immediate payout is promised.
Bisichi (BISI): delisting drama keeps volatility high
Coal‑focused Bisichi is up almost 17%, but that move comes after a high‑risk corporate update: at the start of December the company announced the acquisition of the Goedehoop North mining area assets and its intention to delist from the London Stock Exchange. [8]
Recent half‑year results in September underlined the usual coal‑price and volume risks, alongside regulatory and environmental uncertainties. [9]
Takeaway: Today’s spike looks more like speculative volatility around a complex restructuring and planned delisting than a straightforward “good news” rally. Delistings can reduce liquidity and raise exit‑risk for minority shareholders.
Speculative & thematic plays: ProBiotix, SkinBioTherapeutics, Wishbone & HemoGenyx
ProBiotix Health (PBX): microbiome micro‑cap riding a sector wave
ProBiotix, today’s top percentage gainer at nearly +19%, hasn’t released a fresh RNS this morning, but the stock has been in focus since moving from the Access to the Apex segment of the Aquis Growth Market in November – a step typically associated with greater visibility and higher governance standards. [10]
Earlier in the year the company reported final and interim results showing progress in its cardiometabolic probiotic portfolio. [11]
On the macro side, new research suggests the global probiotic supplements market could exceed $30bn by 2033, highlighting a long‑term growth runway for gut‑ and immune‑health players. [12]
Takeaway: Today’s move looks like a mix of small‑cap momentum and thematic interest in microbiome‑linked health, rather than a single day’s news catalyst.
SkinBioTherapeutics (SBTX): results‑driven momentum continues
SkinBioTherapeutics is another microbiome‑themed riser, gaining around 7.8%.
Last week the company reported full‑year results to 30 June 2025, highlighting:
- Commercial roll‑out of its SkinBiotix® technology via partner Croda
- Launch of Zenakine™ into the global cosmetics market with initial royalty income
- Strong pipeline in skin and gut‑health products [13]
A recent TR‑1 filing also revealed a notable shareholder building a larger stake, which can bolster market confidence. [14]
Takeaway: Investors are backing real commercial traction in a niche but fast‑growing corner of health tech.
Wishbone Gold (WSBN): rebound after sharp falls
Gold explorer Wishbone Gold is rebounding more than 14% after a tough start to the week.
On Monday, shares fell over 20% after the company announced a new access road application for its Red Setter project in Western Australia and acknowledged a year of “many challenges” in drilling. [15]
Takeaway: Today’s move looks like a short‑term bounce in a highly volatile AIM name rather than a fundamental re‑rating.
HemoGenyx Pharmaceuticals (HEMO): ownership changes stoke interest
Biotech HemoGenyx is up more than 13%, helped by recent insider and shareholder news. [16]
- A recent TR‑1 filing showed investor David John Smith lifting his holding from just over 5% to about 6.75% of voting rights. [17]
- In November the company published a prospectus relating to the admission of over 550k new ordinary shares following conversion of loan notes and exercise of warrants, underscoring continued funding activity. [18]
Takeaway: In small biotechs, visible insider or cornerstone investor confidence plus ongoing financing arrangements can be enough to trigger sharp price shifts.
Mid‑cap standouts: Volution and FirstGroup drive FTSE 250 risers
Volution Group (FAN): solid start to FY26 and an Australian deal
Ventilation specialist Volution is among the strongest FTSE 250 names today, up around 5–9% depending on the snapshot.
The company said that the first four months of FY26 delivered about 5% organic revenue growth at constant currency. It also announced the acquisition of Australia’s AC Industries for up to AUD$178.9m (£89.5m), which should enhance its international footprint.
Takeaway: Investors are rewarding steady growth plus bolt‑on M&A in a structurally supported sector (indoor air quality and energy efficiency).
FirstGroup (FGP): wins London Overground contract worth about £3bn
Transport operator FirstGroup has leapt more than 5%, making it one of today’s most closely watched mid‑caps.
The reason: the group has been named preferred operator for London’s Overground suburban rail network, in a contract valued at roughly £3bn over an initial eight‑year term with an option for a two‑year extension. [19]
Under the deal, a FirstGroup subsidiary will run train services and manage stations, while Transport for London retains revenue risk – a structure the market often views as relatively attractive for operators. [20]
Takeaway: The stock’s strong move reflects both the scale and duration of the new contract and optimism about more predictable, contract‑based revenue.
Blue‑chip risers: WPP, Pearson and HSBC support the FTSE 100
While today’s biggest gainers by percentage sit in the small‑cap universe, several FTSE 100 names are quietly climbing.
WPP (WPP): contract win momentum
Advertising giant WPP is up around 2.3–2.7% and appears on both the broader UK “top gainers” list and the FTSE 100 risers board.
Sharecast notes that WPP is extending Tuesday’s rally after reports it has secured a major UK government contract worth around £2bn, giving investors fresh confidence in its public‑sector pipeline.
Pearson (PSON), HSBC (HSBA), Fresnillo (FRES), Standard Chartered (STAN)
At the London open, the key FTSE 100 risers included:
- WPP – up about 2.6%
- Fresnillo – higher by roughly 2.6%, supported by firm precious‑metal prices
- HSBC – up nearly 1.8%, continuing to benefit from a still‑supportive rate backdrop in key markets
- Pearson – up around 1.7–3.7% across different snapshots, also appearing among UK top gainers
- Standard Chartered – up about 1.7%
Takeaway: Blue‑chip gains are modest but broad‑based, focused on financials, miners and media – areas seen as either defensive or leveraged to global growth rather than domestic UK retail.
TUI: travel giant pops on record earnings
Travel group TUI is another notable mover in the broader UK space after reporting better‑than‑expected full‑year earnings for FY25.
The company posted:
- Adjusted EBIT up 12.6% year‑on‑year to a record €1.46bn, beating its own 9–11% growth guidance
- Group revenue up 4.4% to €24.4bn
- Announcement of a return to dividend payments [21]
While not in today’s absolute top‑10 risers, the stock has traded firmer as investors reward record profitability and resumed shareholder distributions.
Unilever: Tuesday’s 16.5% surge still looms large
Today’s big percentage moves are mostly in smaller names, but Unilever’s dramatic jump earlier in the week remains a key talking point in the UK market background.
- On Tuesday 9 December, Unilever’s London‑listed shares climbed about 16.5%, from 4,160p to 4,846.5p, in a highly volatile session following the completion of the Magnum ice cream demerger and a share consolidation.
- On 8 December, Unilever confirmed it would consolidate its shares on an 8‑for‑9 basis after spinning off Magnum, with the consolidation effective from 9 December.
- Reuters also reported that Unilever plans to allocate roughly €1.5bn per year to M&A, with a particular focus on the US market, signalling an active capital‑deployment strategy post‑demerger.
Takeaway: Even if Unilever isn’t a top riser today, its recent jump and ongoing repositioning help explain why defensive consumer names are back on investors’ radar.
Macro backdrop: Fed, retail slowdown and sentiment
Several macro themes are shaping how investors interpret today’s winners:
- Federal Reserve decision: Markets overwhelmingly expect a 25 bps rate cut later today, but attention is on the updated Summary of Economic Projections and 2026+ rate path. Sharecast highlights commentary that the Fed may present this move as an “insurance cut”, with stubborn inflation limiting how dovish it can be.
- UK retail softness: Fresh data from the BRC–KPMG retail sales monitor showed annual UK retail sales growth slowing in November, hitting discretionary retailers and reinforcing the idea that consumer‑exposed stocks face a tougher backdrop.
- Post‑spin and restructuring stories: From Unilever’s Magnum demerger to Power Metal’s capital reduction and Bisichi’s delisting plan, structural changes are a major source of stock‑specific volatility this week. [22]
What today’s winners say about the UK market
Putting it all together, a few patterns stand out:
- Results and guidance still matter
- Strong updates from Made Tech, ProCook, Volution and TUI are being immediately rewarded with sizeable price moves. In a market obsessed with macro headlines, solid earnings stories are cutting through. [23]
- Infrastructure & public contracts are in favour
- FirstGroup’s London Overground win and ongoing interest in defence and infrastructure‑linked names suggest investors still like long‑duration, contract‑backed cash flows. [24]
- Micro‑cap health & resources remain a high‑beta playground
- Moves in ProBiotix, SkinBioTherapeutics, Wishbone, HemoGenyx, and Power Metal underline how quickly sentiment can swing in tiny, news‑sensitive names – especially in trendy areas like the microbiome, gold, lithium or junior exploration. [25]
- Blue‑chips are quietly repositioning
- WPP, Pearson, HSBC and others aren’t delivering 15–20% daily moves, but slow, steady gains in these names are helping support the indices even as retailers struggle.
What to watch next
- Fed outcome & guidance: A more hawkish‑than‑expected stance could sap risk appetite and reverse some of today’s momentum in higher‑beta UK names.
- Follow‑through in small caps: For stocks like Made Tech, ProCook, ProBiotix and SkinBioTherapeutics, the key question is whether today’s spikes hold once the initial excitement fades and investors focus on execution risks.
- Implementation of new contracts & deals:
- Can FirstGroup deliver on the London Overground opportunity without margin pressure?
- Will Volution’s AC Industries acquisition hit the targeted returns?
- How will Unilever deploy its expanded M&A firepower post‑Magnum? [26]
References
1. www.techmarketview.com, 2. www.techmarketview.com, 3. www.sharecast.com, 4. www.investegate.co.uk, 5. www.investegate.co.uk, 6. www.investegate.co.uk, 7. www.investegate.co.uk, 8. www.marketscreener.com, 9. www.londonstockexchange.com, 10. www.aquis.eu, 11. probiotixhealth-ir.com, 12. www.globenewswire.com, 13. www.research-tree.com, 14. markets.ft.com, 15. www.lse.co.uk, 16. finance.yahoo.com, 17. longbridge.com, 18. finance.yahoo.com, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.investegate.co.uk, 21. www.investments.halifax.co.uk, 22. www.investegate.co.uk, 23. www.techmarketview.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.aquis.eu, 26. www.investegate.co.uk
