UK equities mixed as investors assess corporate earnings, await key data

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UK equities mixed as investors assess corporate earnings, await key data.

stock :: 2025-07-22 :: source - reuters

By Sukriti Gupta

Signage is seen outside the LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) headquarters in Paternoster Square, London, Britain, April 25, 2025. REUTERS

(Reuters) - London's main stock indexes were mixed on Tuesday as investors parsed a spate of corporate earnings, and awaited the release of key economic data this week.

The benchmark FTSE 100 (.FTSE) was flat by 0944 GMT, after registering a record closing high on Monday. The domestically oriented midcap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) lost 0.4%.

Industrial miners (.FTNMX551020) rose 1.1%, tracking a rise in copper prices, buoyed by hopes for firmer Chinese demand. Glencore (GLEN.L) gained 2.2%, while Rio Tinto (RIO.L) rose 1.1%.

Homebuilders and household goods stocks (.FTNMX402020) led sectoral losses, falling 1.6%. Vistry (VTYV.L) down 2.7%.

Data showed Britain borrowed more than expected in June as a jump in inflation pushed up the government's debt costs.

In company news, British food catering firm Compass Group (CPG.L) rose 6.1% to the top of the blue-chip index, after it agreed to buy European premium food services business Vermaat Groep for about 1.5 billion euros ($1.75 billion), including debt and also raised its annual profit forecast.

Energy firm Centrica (CNA.L) surged 3.9% after Britain approved the 38 billion pound ($51 billion) Sizewell C nuclear plant in eastern England. The company holds a 15% stake in the project.

Greencore (GNC.L) jumped 10.5%, to top the FTSE mid-cap index, after the convenience food manufacturer raised its annual profit expectations.

Kier Group (KIE.L) fell 5.1%, to the bottom of the mid-cap index, after the British infrastructure and construction group said that its CEO Andrew Davies would be stepping down, and named insider Stuart Togwell as his successor, effective November 1, 2025.

Meanwhile, AstraZeneca (AZN.L) on Monday said it plans to invest $50 billion in the U.S. to expand manufacturing and research capabilities as it reacts to White House trade policy.

On the radar this week are UK flash Purchasing Managers' Index for July and June retail sales data.

Reporting by Sukriti Gupta; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli

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