Today, the FTSE 100 rose by 0.6% or 50.27 points to a new high of 8335.98, the strongest day in over two months. The FTSE All-Share Index also benefited from this boost, marking an intraday high of 4578.11 before closing slightly lower at 4542.34.

BAE Systems led the rally by quite a bit. The stock price of BAE Systems went up by 16p to 1288.5p after Citigroup issued a bullish buy recommendation with a target price of 1440p, above the company’s upcoming results. BP and Barclays also performed outstandingly. BP went up 7.3p to 461.8p, and Barclays rose 2.6p to 234p as they are about to issue financials this week.

Nonetheless, there were some negative aspects to the news: Entain lost 6.6p from its stock price, dropping to 642.4p on the announcement of its BetMGM joint venture, and Pearson lost 4% or 41p to 1010p after providing a healthful report on earnings based on a half-year yet lowering the guidance for the next full year.

However, Tesco continued its upward trend, gaining 1.5p to 328.6p as it completed its £1 billion share buyback program. The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indexes also saw a rise, with FTSE 250 shares up 0.2% or 49.17 points to 21,405.47, with Cranswick leading the gains, up 65p to 4605p after a 7% increase in revenue for the first quarter. FTSE 350 index real-time price – Day high/low – 4628.09 / 4586.28.

FTSE100/GBX 5-Day Chart

FTSE 100 Risers: Top 10 Risers

Centrica PLC – 134.63
Airtel Africa PLC – 112.50
JD Sports Fashion PLC – 126.15
Segro PLC – 910.20
BP PLC – 463.25
SSE PLC – 1867.64
NatWest Group PLC – 368.20
Prudential PLC – 696.40
Shell PLC – 2825.50
HSBC Holdings PLC – 70

FTSE Today: Top Losers

Reckitt Benckiser (LON: RKT) – Dropped 9.23%
Pearson (LON: PSON) – Declined 4.76%
Entain (LON: ENT) – Fell 0.92%

BetMGM Revenue Passes £1 Billion in the First Half

BetMGM, a joint venture between the FTSE 100 gambling group Entain and MGM Resorts International, has achieved a remarkable milestone by making £1 billion (£780 million) in profits for the first half of the year, representing a 6% rise in annual profit year-over-year.

According to President Adam Greenblatt, 2024 has been an exceptional year for BetMGM, where they have not only met but exceeded their goals, maintaining a steady pace of growth in customer acquisition and retention.

Greenblatt has expressed his optimism for the future, forecasting sustained and strong revenue growth over the next few years, extending into 2025. BetMGM has firmly established itself as the leading brand in 29 different markets, successfully reaching 52% of the US adult population. This expansive reach highlights the company’s ability to capture and retain a substantial share of the market, positioning itself for continued success and growth.

UK Companies: Pearson Sales Dip

The educational giant Pearson has hit a speed bump in sales over the last six months, but the company’s efforts to exploit AI technological advancements are propelling it forward. The UK FTSE 100 company reported to its stockholders that sales for the first half of the year were £1.8 billion, down from £1.9 billion in the same period the previous year.

The company aims to exploit the growth opportunities brought forth by demographic changes and the rapid expansion of AI technology. When Pearson CEO, Omar Abbosh, assessed the strategic and financial strength of the company in the first half of the year, it was an optimistic outlook for Pearson’s financial goals for the present year and new 2025 projects. Abbosh professed the company’s ability to meet high-growth demand and progressive development in sales and cash availability by the end of next year, continuing the positive overall business trend.

By incorporating AI into their operations, Pearson plans to strengthen their education offerings, attract more customers, and ensure sustainability, leading the ever-changing educational scene.

UK Equity Markets Surge: FTSE 250 Gains 2%

UK equity markets ended the last week on a high note, closing at 8285.71 points. The FTSE 100 share price recovered after suffering losses earlier in the week, registering a new one-month high. Most of the gain was a reward to NatWest, whose shares surged due to their improved first-half earnings report. The FTSE futures also saw a 99.36-point rise, equal to 1.21% in price, reaching the peak of 8285.71 at the end of the trading session.

However, the FTSE 250 also had an outstanding trading day, with a staggering 2% gain on Friday. Conversely, the US markets exhibited this favorable tendency, with the S&P 500 soaring 1.3% and Dow Jones moving up around 1.8% by the end of European trading. This projection of stock market capitalisation shows a new positive attitude, allowing investors to expect a growing and favorable turn on both sides of the ocean.

Turbulent Week for EuroZone Yields

Euro zone yields slipped a little on Monday as investors prepared for a week full of significant economic events, including inflation data and major central bank meetings. The 10-year German government bond yield fell to 2.40%, indicating an optimistic view in the markets.

The money markets gave two 25-point basis rate cuts by the European Central Bank a 100% probability and put a 10% probability on another one being done by the end of the year. Italy’s 10-year treasury bond yield barely fell by one basis point to 3.75%.

A difference was seen in the yield gap between Italian and German 10-year bonds, indicating the risk premium for holding Italian debt, with Deutsche Bank setting it at 135 basis points. Meanwhile, the difference between the government bond yields of France and Germany remained above 68.25 points. Germany’s two-year bond yield, which reacts strongly to expectations of policy rates, managed to stand still at 2.67%.

Global Markets Await Key Policy Decisions

The spotlight is on the upcoming monetary policy decisions in the US, Japan, and the UK, with interest rate uncertainty keeping everyone on edge. The mixed economic signals have markets feeling jittery, and most investors are playing the waiting game, looking to these key economies for some much-needed direction.

The radar is also tuning into the upcoming major earnings from tech giants Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Microsoft Corp., after a rough start to the tech megacaps reporting season, which led to a massive crash in the stock market.