UK Stocks to Buy Today (9 December 2025, 8:30 GMT): 9 FTSE Shares to Watch as London Trades Near Record Highs

The UK stock market is starting Tuesday’s session within touching distance of all‑time highs. By around 08:20 GMT, the FTSE 100 was trading just under 9,650, essentially flat on the day but up about 15.5% over the last 12 months, with a 52‑week range of 7,544–9,930 points. ^[1]

At the same time, many strategists still describe UK equities as “cheap” versus other major markets. Recent analysis suggests the FTSE 100 is trading on roughly 12–13x forecast 2026 earnings compared with about 14x for the Euro Stoxx 600 and over 21x for the S&P 500, while UK blue‑chips continue to offer higher dividend yields and a roughly 30–35% valuation discount versus MSCI World. TechStock²+1

Add in cooling inflation, the prospect of rate cuts in 2026 and one of the best FTSE 100 total‑return years since the financial crisis, and it’s no surprise investors are asking which UK stocks to buy today as the market opens. ^[2]

Below is a news‑driven list of UK shares to watch right now, based on fresh catalysts and current macro themes as of 9 December 2025, ~08:30 GMT.

Important: This article is for information only and is not personal investment advice. Markets move quickly; always check the latest prices, do your own research and consider speaking to a regulated adviser before investing.

1. AstraZeneca (AZN): Core defensive growth in healthcare

Pharma giant AstraZeneca remains one of the FTSE 100’s anchor “quality growth” names and continues to feature in many lists of the best UK stocks to hold into 2026. TechStock²

Recent updates highlight:

Shares are trading only a few percentage points below their late‑November 52‑week high after a strong 2025, powered by oncology and rare‑disease franchises. TechStock²
Expanded approvals for cancer drug Imfinzi in earlier‑stage disease settings have strengthened the medium‑term revenue outlook. TechStock²+1
The company is working to simplify and align its listings across London, Stockholm and New York, designed to broaden access for global investors and potentially boost liquidity. TechStock²

Investment case today

With the Bank of England expected to begin cutting rates in 2026 and inflation projected to drift back towards target, lower volatility, non‑cyclical earners like AZN remain attractive to investors wanting growth without heavy dependence on the economic cycle. TechStock²+1

Key risks to consider include patent expiries, pricing pressure in key therapy areas and the ever‑present regulatory overhang — single trial setbacks can move the share price quickly.

2. Shell (SHEL): Cash‑return machine in a volatile energy world

Shell has quietly transformed itself into one of the FTSE 100’s biggest cash‑return stories, even as oil prices have eased from 2022–23 peaks. TechStock²

3. Rolls‑Royce (RR.): High‑beta winner from aviation and defence

Few FTSE 100 stocks capture 2025’s UK equity comeback story like Rolls‑Royce Holdings. MoneyWeek data show the shares have returned about 84% this year and more than 1,500% over five years from their post‑pandemic lows, as profits recovered in civil aerospace and defence. ^[4]

Key recent drivers:

A major contract for over 300 Leopard 2 tank engines, reinforcing Rolls‑Royce’s role in European defence supply chains. TechStock²
Partnerships with engineering groups such as Assystem and Atkins to accelerate work on small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). TechStock²
Strong recovery in long‑haul flying hours and repeat engine orders, highlighted at air‑shows through 2025. TechStock²+1

What buyers are betting on

Investors who buy Rolls‑Royce this morning are effectively backing three themes at once: rising defence budgets, continued growth in global air travel and the potential for nuclear power (including SMRs) to play a bigger role in the energy transition.

After such an extraordinary run, however, expectations are high. Any wobble in airline demand, defence spending or execution against its turnaround targets could trigger sharp pull‑backs.

4. Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY): Domestic bank riding a profits boom

UK banks are at the heart of this year’s FTSE 100 rally. A City A.M. analysis published at 06:00 this morning notes that Lloyds, NatWest, Barclays and HSBC have added more than £115bn of market value in 2025, with Lloyds’ share price up about 75–90% over the last 12 months. ^[5]

Lloyds stands out because it is:

Heavily geared to the UK consumer and housing market, via mortgages, current accounts and unsecured lending. ^[6]
Returning large amounts of capital through dividends and buybacks, with analysts at RBC and Jefferies naming it a preferred play among domestic banks. ^[7]
Benefiting from “higher‑for‑longer” interest rates in 2025, which have fattened net interest margins and boosted profits. ^[8]

Why watch it at 8:30 GMT

With futures showing the FTSE 100 set for a flat‑to‑slightly‑softer open today and central‑bank meetings looming, rate‑sensitive stocks like Lloyds will be among the first to react to any shift in expectations. ^[9]

The big risk is that 2026 rate cuts arrive faster or go deeper than markets currently expect, squeezing margins just as loan losses potentially tick up. Political risk – including renewed talk of windfall taxes on lenders – also can’t be ignored. ^[10]

5. Unilever (ULVR): Reshaped consumer giant after Magnum spin‑off

Unilever is one of today’s headline stories. Over the weekend it completed the demerger of its ice‑cream division, launching The Magnum Ice Cream Company as an independent listing in Amsterdam with secondary listings in London and New York. Magnum closed its first day at around €12.8–12.9, with J.P. Morgan initiating coverage at “neutral” and a 2027 price target of €14. TechStock²+1

In tandem, Unilever is:

Consolidating its shares on an 8‑for‑9 basis, with the post‑restructure stock beginning trading in London today (9 December). ^[11]
Continuing to reshape its portfolio by selling snack brand Graze and putting more emphasis on beauty, personal care and health‑oriented products. TechStock²+1
Still trading only slightly positive over the last three to five years, with 2025 performance lagging the wider FTSE despite underlying sales growth in its “power brands”. ^[12]

Why investors are eyeing it now

Today marks the first full session for “new Unilever” shares and the second day of trading for Magnum. This is exactly the sort of structural change event active investors like to trade: index funds must rebalance, arbitrageurs will model the break‑up value and the market can now value Magnum and Unilever separately. TechStock²+1

If management delivers on its plan to focus on higher‑margin categories, the post‑spin group could see margin expansion and a re‑rating over time. But integration costs, marketing spend and any mis‑steps in shedding lower‑growth brands are key execution risks.

6. Diageo (DGE): Contrarian play in beaten‑up consumer staples

While many UK blue‑chips are celebrating record highs, Diageo is firmly on the list of 2025 laggards. MoneyWeek data show the shares are down about 28% year‑to‑date, making the Guinness and Johnnie Walker owner one of the FTSE 100’s worst performers. ^[13]

The pain reflects:

Weaker demand in key markets like China and parts of the US, plus the impact of tariffs and shifting drinking habits. ^[14]
A roughly one‑third slide from last year’s highs, leaving the share price more than 30% below its 52‑week peak according to recent market data. ^[15]
Labour unrest, with workers at its Belfast packaging site voting for an eight‑day strike in December. TechStock²+1

Yet some commentators now describe Diageo as approaching a “once‑in‑a‑cycle” opportunity if volumes stabilise and margins recover, given its portfolio of global brands, strong cash generation and long history of dividend growth. TechStock²+1

For buyers today, this is a classic contrarian idea: the business is fundamentally high quality, but sentiment is poor. Patience and a multi‑year time horizon would be essential, and there’s always a risk that consumer trends and premium spirits demand have structurally shifted.

7. National Grid (NG.): Regulated income and the energy transition

Utilities rarely make headlines, but National Grid has delivered quietly impressive returns. Analysis using Yahoo Finance and specialist dividend tools suggests the shares are up roughly 19–24% in 2025 and around 80% over five years, as investors reward its regulated asset base and role in grid modernisation. TechStock²+2Yahoo Finance+2

Recent updates include:

Half‑year results in November showing strong investment – over £5bn in the first half alone – and performance in line with its five‑year financial framework. ^[16]
Confirmation of the scrip reference price for the 2025/26 interim dividend on 8 December, with payment scheduled for January 2026, underscoring the stock’s income credentials. TechStock²+1
Dividend yields in the mid‑single digits (around 4% based on recent market data), comfortably ahead of gilts. ^[17]

For investors looking at UK stocks to buy today with lower volatility, National Grid offers defensive income plus structural growth from electrification (renewables, EV charging, data centres). The main caveats: it is capital‑intensive, sensitive to regulatory decisions on allowed returns and exposed to higher‑for‑longer interest rates if the rate‑cut cycle disappoints.

8. RELX (REL): Data, analytics and quiet compounding

Information‑and‑analytics group RELX is another long‑term favourite that’s attracting fresh attention this week.

Key recent catalysts:

An October trading statement reported underlying revenue growth of around 7% for the first nine months of 2025 and reaffirmed full‑year guidance, with strength across legal, scientific, risk and exhibitions. ^[18]
Industry coverage notes solid growth in data‑driven tools and AI‑powered decision products, which carry higher margins and deepen customer lock‑in. ^[19]
Deutsche Bank has just upgraded RELX to “buy”, arguing that 2026 growth prospects remain intact and that the market may be underestimating the group’s ability to manage AI‑related disruption. ^[20]

Despite the strong fundamentals, the shares have struggled in 2025 on some US listings, with one data provider showing a double‑digit year‑to‑date decline in the New York‑traded ADRs as of early December. ^[21]

For investors today, that combination of robust operating momentum and a wobbly share price is intriguing, especially given RELX’s progressive dividend policy and buybacks. The risk, as always with quality growth, is valuation: if earnings growth misses expectations, the market can de‑rate the shares quickly.

9. British Land (BLND): Property income plus FTSE 100 re‑entry

Commercial property owner British Land is back in focus after FTSE Russell’s December index review confirmed it will re‑join the FTSE 100, while advertising group WPP drops into the FTSE 250. TechStock²

Recent commentary highlights that:

British Land has shifted its portfolio towards retail parks, which have held up better than some high‑street locations, helping to lift recent half‑year profits. TechStock²
The shares are modestly below recent 52‑week highs – not distressed, but still well under pre‑pandemic levels. TechStock²+1
The FTSE 100 promotion is likely to trigger passive inflows from index funds and ETFs tracking the benchmark, creating short‑term technical demand for the stock. TechStock²+1

For investors, British Land offers a mix of dividend income, re‑rating potential and exposure to a recovering UK real‑estate market if gilt yields continue to drift lower. The risk side of the ledger includes property valuations, rising vacancy in some office and retail segments, and ongoing sensitivity to interest‑rate expectations.

Bonus watchlist: British American Tobacco, Ashtead, Chemring & Moonpig

Reuters’ “factors to watch” note for today flags several other UK names with fresh news that could create opportunities for nimble traders:

British American Tobacco (BATS) – H2 2025 pre‑close update this morning confirms the group expects about 2% revenue and profit growth in 2025 and that 2026 performance is likely to land at the lower end of its mid‑term 3–5% growth targets, thanks to US regulatory headwinds and intense competition in next‑generation nicotine products. BAT also announced a £1.3bn share buyback for 2025 and plans for £1.3bn in 2026, on top of a forward dividend yield of roughly 5–6% based on current prices. ^[22]
Ashtead (AHT) – the equipment rental group reports Q2 results and unveiled a $1.5bn share buyback alongside plans to shift its primary listing to the New York Stock Exchange in March 2026, underlining how much of its earnings now come from North America. ^[23]
Chemring Group (CHG) – full‑year results for the defence electronics specialist are due today, and could attract interest given the strong performance of UK defence stocks like BAE Systems and Babcock in 2025. ^[24]
Moonpig (MOON) – half‑year numbers from the online greetings‑card and gifts group should provide an up‑to‑date read on UK discretionary spending, just as surveys show consumers held back in November ahead of the Budget. ^[25]

All four are more volatile and event‑driven than the core names above, but they’re firmly on traders’ screens today.

Macro backdrop: why UK stocks are in focus on 9 December 2025

Several macro themes sit behind these stock ideas:

Central banks: Markets widely expect the US Federal Reserve to cut rates again this week and the Bank of England to follow with a 25bp cut (to around 3.75%) next week, after guidance that UK inflation is likely to return to 2% “in the near term”. TechStock²+1
Inflation and consumers: Industry data show UK grocery inflation stuck at 4.7% in the four weeks to 30 November, with shoppers trading down and retailers ramping promotions heading into Christmas. ^[26]
Valuation and flows: MoneyWeek reports that the FTSE 100 is on track for its seventh‑best year ever, with a total return of about 22.8% so far – yet UK equity funds have still seen net outflows and London remains at a discount to global peers. ^[27]
Sector winners and losers: Defence, banks, miners and some infrastructure names dominate the 2025 winners list, while WPP, Bunzl, Diageo, Mondi and London Stock Exchange Group are among the notable losers – a reminder that stock‑picking still matters, even in a strong index year. ^[28]

Against this backdrop, today’s UK stock market is balancing rate‑cut optimism, income appeal and selective growth stories against political risk, possible earnings disappointments and the ever‑present chance of a global shock.

How to use today’s UK stock ideas

Instead of treating any single name as “the” stock to buy today, many investors are using lists like this to build basketsaligned with a few big themes:

Quality defensives: AstraZeneca, Unilever, RELX, National Grid
Financials and cyclicals: Lloyds (plus other UK banks), Shell
Defence and infrastructure: Rolls‑Royce, Chemring, National Grid, British Land
Contrarian and recovery plays: Diageo, selected consumer and property stocks, possibly BATS

Whatever you choose to do after the open:

Check live data before acting – quotes above are based on sources delayed by up to 15 minutes. ^[29]
Match ideas to your time horizon and risk tolerance – a volatile turnaround like Rolls‑Royce is very different from a regulated utility like National Grid. TechStock²
Diversify across sectors rather than betting the farm on one bank, one defence stock or one consumer name.
Consider using tax‑efficient wrappers such as ISAs or SIPPs if you are UK‑based, as many commentators emphasise their impact on long‑term, after‑tax returns.

And remember: even in a “vintage” year for the FTSE 100, capital is at risk. Strong recent performance is not a guarantee of future gains.