Investing.com — British stocks climbed toward record territory on Tuesday as top gainer rose 8% after reporting better-than-expected second-quarter sales growth on higher volumes and pricing.
The FTSE 100 closed 0.8% higher, putting it on track toward but still short of its 2026 intraday high of 10,934.94 set February 27.
Germany’s gained 0.5% and France’s rose 0.6%. Sterling edged 0.1% higher to 1.3306 against the U.S. dollar.
The index opened lower after reports of China’s progress in homegrown chipmaking equipment hit Nvidia and AMD in U.S. premarket trade, weighing on Asian technology stocks.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed fresh drone strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure Tuesday, targeting facilities that move crude from eastern Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the strikes were retaliation for alleged Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace; the group also said it downed a Saudi Bayraktar Akinci drone on July 26.
Ahead of his White House meeting with Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed Israeli objections to a proposed F-35 sale to Turkey, calling Ankara “a tremendous ally” and saying “nobody tells me what we should be selling.”
Netanyahu had warned the sale would “destroy the power balance” in the region. Trump also downplayed Zelenskyy’s weekend claim that Russia is feeding Iran satellite intelligence, calling Moscow’s support “very unimpactful” and noting Russia “has no army, no air force, no navy,” though he said he’d raise the claim with Putin.
Separately, the Pentagon formally launched its “Europe Posture Review,” with Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby saying the review, first announced by Secretary Hegseth in June, aims to accelerate NATO allies taking primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense.
Iran’s military warned Tuesday it “will not leave any threats unanswered” after Trump said the U.S. would resume strikes if diplomacy fails; Jordan and Iraq each reported fresh drone incursions overnight, following similar incidents Saudi Arabia and Qatar blamed on Iran-backed militias.
fell 1.8% to $84.33 a barrel for October delivery; shed 1.4% to $81.40 for September. dropped 1.2% to $4,029 per troy ounce; fell 1.2% to $4,027.97.
UK round up
Unilever beat second-quarter sales growth estimates on higher volumes and pricing, and raised its 2026 underlying sales growth outlook as demand for its beauty, home care and household brands remained resilient.
beat second-quarter sales estimates and launched a £1.9 billion cost-savings programme to fund late-stage drug development and support growth ahead of looming patent expiries.
’s Openreach faces a proposed block from UK regulator Ofcom over a discounted broadband offer that the watchdog says could harm competition by making it harder for alternative fibre networks to win customers.
reported a better-than-expected 17% rise in first-half profit, raised its 2026 income guidance and announced a larger-than-expected £1 billion share buyback, helped by strong equities trading and investment banking income.
posted an 8% decline in first-half adjusted earnings due in part to acquisition-related costs but maintained its full-year outlook as it continues to reshape its portfolio.
reported record assets under management and stronger-than-expected first-half client inflows, benefiting from volatile markets that boosted demand for its investment strategies.
maintained its full-year outlook after reporting solid third-quarter sales growth, with strong trading in the UK and Ireland offsetting weaker passenger traffic in Middle East-affected markets.