Stocks in London opened mixed on Thursday, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt and the CAC 40 in Paris opened a notch higher, as investors await eurozone consumer confidence data.
The FTSE 100 index opened down 0.15 points at 8,544.98. The FTSE 250 was down 23.09 points, 0.1%, at 20,557.21, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.72 points, 0.2%, at 722.72.
The Cboe UK 100 was flat at 856.61, the Cboe UK 250 was down 0.2% at 17,934.44, and the Cboe Small Companies was up 0.1% at 15,787.82.
AB Foods was among the FTSE 100 losers, down 1.2%.
The Primark owner reported that first-quarter revenue fell 2.2% on-year at £6.73 billion. Sales in the UK & Ireland, which comprise about 45% of total sales, fell 4%.
Spectris led the FTSE 250, up 11%.
The precision instrumentation and controls supplier announced that it expects adjusted operating profit, for 2024, at the top end of analyst consensus’s £183.3 million to £201.0 million forecast range.
CMC Markets was the biggest loser, down 10% despite saying its 2024 net operating income should be in line with previous guidance.
In smaller caps, GENinCode shares more than doubled.
The genetics company announced that its CARDIO inCode test will be included in the US 2025 Clinical Lab Fee Schedule, to enable reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid, and will be implemented for coronary heart disease prevention in Spain’s Catalonia region.
In European equities on Thursday, the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.1%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt was up 0.2%.
The pound was quoted at $1.2299 early on Thursday in London, lower compared to $1.2317 at the equities close on Wednesday. The euro stood at $1.0397, lower against $1.0417. Against the yen, the dollar was trading slightly higher at JP¥156.55 compared to JP¥156.49.
In Asia on Thursday, the Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo was up 0.8%. In China, the Shanghai Composite was up 0.6%, while the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong was down 0.4%. The S&P/ASX 200 in Sydney closed down 0.6%.
In the US on Wednesday, Wall Street ended higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.3%, the S&P 500up 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite up 1.3%.
Brent oil was quoted lower at $78.23 a barrel early in London on Thursday from $78.31 late Wednesday.
Gold was quoted at $2,753.63 an ounce, lower against $2,757.82.
Still to come on Thursday’s economic calendar, releases include eurozone consumer confidence and US initial jobless claims.
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