- U.K. factory exports in April tumble
- Rio Tinto (NYSE:RIO) investors reject proposal to review dual listing
- Lloyds sees lower Q1 profit as tariff risks weigh
- Rolls-Royce (OTC:RYCEY) maintains 2025 outlook
- Persimmon shares up on positive full-year outlook
Investing.com -- Britain’s stock index edged ever so slightly higher on Thursday as investors digested mixed corporate earnings with attention centered on Lloyds and the London Stock Exchange , while data showed that the United Kingdom (TADAWUL:4280)’s factory exports tumbled in April.
The blue-chip index FTSE 100 closed up 0.04% and the British pound fell 0.4% against the dollar to 1.3275.
The region’s top performers include Whitbread PLC (LON:WTB) and St. James’s Place PLC (LON:SJP), while bottom performers are London Stock Exchange Group PLC (LON:LSEG) and Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LON:LLOY).
Major European markets are closed today in observance of Labor Day.
LSE posts strong start to 2025
London Stock Exchange reported an 8.7% increase in first-quarter income, excluding recoveries, on Thursday, driven by robust double-digit growth in its Markets and Risk Intelligence divisions and consistent performance across all business segments.
For the three months ended March 31, total income excluding recoveries rose to £2.26 billion, up from £2.09 billion in the same period last year.
Shares closed 2.3% lower.
Lloyds sees lower Q1 profit as tariff risks weigh
Shares of Lloyds fell 2.7% after it reported a nearly 7% drop in first-quarter profit, pressured by higher expenses and preparations for the potential effects of recently announced trade tariffs.
For the quarter ending March 31, the bank posted a pre-tax profit of £1.52 billion, slightly below analyst expectations of £1.53 billion and down from £1.63 billion in the same period last year.
Lloyds also recorded a £100 million provision to account for tariff-related risks, stating that the scale of the newly introduced non-U.K. tariffs and the market’s initial reaction were more substantial than anticipated.
Rolls-Royce maintains 2025 outlook
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC (LON:RR) reported a solid performance across all business units at the start of 2025 and reiterated its full-year outlook for profit and cash generation, despite ongoing economic challenges.
The company’s shares rose 1.7%.
The British engineering group reaffirmed its guidance for underlying operating profit and free cash flow to range between £2.7 billion and £2.9 billion, citing operational improvements and stable demand across core markets as key drivers.
Schroders reports £7.4 bln Q1 outflows
Schroders PLC’s (LON:SDR) shares gained 1.3% after it disclosed first-quarter net outflows totaling £7.4 billion, driven largely by notable client redemptions from its China-based joint ventures.
By the end of March, the firm’s assets under management had slipped to £758.4 billion, a drop of nearly 3% compared to the close of the previous year.
Persimmon shares up on positive full-year outlook
Shares of Persimmon PLC (LON:PSN) climbed around 2.9% following an update in which the company confirmed it is on track to meet its full-year target of 11,000 to 11,500 home completions.
Persimmon also highlighted that geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties have had no significant impact on consumer sentiment, sales activity, or its supply chain to date.
Whitbread reports in-line results, announces buyback
Whitbread shares rose 5.8% after the Premier Inn parent delivered annual results that met expectations and unveiled a larger-than-anticipated £250 million share repurchase plan, easing worries about slower room expansion and increasing capital expenses.
The firm reported a pretax profit of £483 million for the year ending February, down 14% year-on-year and just under the £489 million forecast from Bloomberg analysts.
CVS Group soars after CMA clears vet sector review
Shares of CVS Group Plc (LON:CVSG) surged over 10% on Thursday after the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority confirmed it would not pursue forced divestments in the veterinary market, an important development in its ongoing sector review.
While the CMA’s remedies consultation listed 28 potential measures to enhance competition, it did not propose mandatory asset disposals.
National Grid CEO steps down
National Grid PLC (LON:NG) said on Thursday that Zoë Yujnovich has been appointed as its next chief executive, replacing John Pettigrew, who will retire after serving nearly ten years in the position.
The news prompted a 1% decline in the company’s shares.
Rio Tinto investors reject proposal to review dual listing
Rio Tinto PLC (LON:RIO), the globe’s second-largest miner, has defeated a proposal from activist investor Palliser Capital UK that sought a review of the company’s dual-listed structure.
Although the motion received backing from close to 20% of shareholders, it ultimately fell short of the support required for approval.
U.K. factory exports in April see sharpest drop in nearly five years
British manufacturers reported the sharpest drop in export orders in nearly five years this April, according to a survey released Thursday.
The downturn has been linked to rising trade tensions driven by U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies, alongside a recent hike in employer taxes in the U.K.