Summary:
- Trump tariffs may ease U.K. inflation, BoE’s Greene says
- DCC divests healthcare arm
Investing.com -- British stocks closed higher on Tuesday morning trade after the Easter break, while Bank of England policymaker Megan Greene stated that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs could help lower U.K. inflation.
The blue-chip index FTSE 100 rose 0.7%. The British pound gained 0.07% against the dollar to 1.3380.
J Sainsbury PLC (LON:SBRY) and Tesco (OTC:TSCDY) PLC (LON:TSCO) are among the top gainers, while DCC plc (LON:DCC) and Entain PLC (LON:ENT) are among the bottom performers.
Meanwhile, DAX index in Germany gained 0.5% and the CAC 40 in France rose 0.6%.
U.S. trade moves may cool U.K. prices, says BoE official
Bank of England policymaker Megan Greene said that tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump could lead to lower inflation in the U.K.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Greene also voiced continued concern over domestic inflation pressures stemming from limited supply capacity.
Company updates
Shares of ITM Power (LON:ITM) surged 7.5% after the company raised its revenue and cash outlook for fiscal 2025.
The updated guidance projects revenue between £25.5 million and £26.5 million, a 30% increase from the midpoint of its earlier estimate of £18 million to £22 million.
Shares of consulting firm Ricardo (LON:RCDO) slipped 1.3% after the company projected performance in line with analyst expectations for fiscal 2024/25, while highlighting rising market uncertainty impacting near-term orders.
DCC to sell healthcare unit in £1.05 billion deal
Shares of DCC plc (LON:DCC) fell 4.5% on Tuesday as the sales, marketing and support services firm said that it will divest its healthcare division to an investment arm of private equity firm Investindustrial Advisors in a deal valued at 1.05 billion pounds ($1.41 billion).
The U.K.-listed firm also said it intends to return excess cash from the group’s restructuring to shareholders.
City of London Investment Group reports $170 million outflow due to tariff uncertainty
City of London Investment Group on Tuesday reported a notable outflow of $170 million from emerging markets for the quarter ending March 31, attributing the outflow to the uncertainty caused by tariffs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The funds under its management remained steady at $9.9 billion, however, the firm also estimated that by April 15, these funds under management would slightly decrease to $9.7 billion.
Unilever threatens to cut funding to Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
Unilever PLC (LON:ULVR) is considering cutting funds to the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, a U.S.-based nonprofit that supports social justice organizations, according to a Reuters report, citing sources close to the situation.
The company is asking Ben & Jerry’s Foundation to undergo a swift audit of its donations to continue receiving funding, the report added.
Trump urges rate cut, slams Fed chief
U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Monday, warning on his social media platform Truth Social, that the economy could weaken if interest rates aren’t lowered.
He referred to Powell as “Mr. Too Late” and labeled him a “major loser.”