Investing.com — British stocks closed higher on Wednesday, tracking gains across Europe, as global markets rallied after U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that American forces could withdraw from Iran within two to three weeks.
The blue-chip index rose 1.8% and the gained 0.8% against the dollar to 1.3331.
The DAX index in Germany surged 2.6%, and the CAC 40 in France jumped 2.1%.
UK round up
Berkeley Group Holdings PLC (LON:BKGH) announced it will halt land acquisitions and adjust its medium-term strategy through April 2030, citing geopolitical turmoil, a worsening economic outlook, and regulatory delays that have extended construction timelines by approximately one year.
The FTSE-listed developer now expects pre-tax profit above £1.4 billion over the four years to April 2030, with the majority weighted toward the latter part of the period.
Topps Tiles PLC (LON:TPT) reported total Group revenue of £142.7 million for the 26-week period ended March 28, down 0.1% year-on-year, the UK tile specialist said Wednesday. Group revenue excluding CTD grew 2.1% year-on-year, though growth slowed to 0.6% in the second quarter following a stronger first quarter.
The company outperformed the wider Home Improvements and DIY market, which declined approximately 2.5% over the same period based on Barclays UK Consumer Spend Report data. Topps Tiles delivered like-for-like revenue growth of 0.1% in the first half.
Babcock International Group PLC (LON:BAB) announced it has agreed to a six-month bridging agreement with the UK Ministry of Defence to continue providing naval base and nuclear submarine fleet support services. The agreement takes effect after the completion of the five-year Future Maritime Support Programme contract on Tuesday.
The bridge contract maintains continuity of services while Babcock and the MOD finalize negotiations on a new long-term agreement. A Letter of Intent from the MOD accompanies the bridging agreement, confirming the commitment to a long-term strategic relationship between the MOD, the Royal Navy, and Babcock.