LONDON, July 4, 2026, 19:06 BST
- Diageo closed Friday at 1,534p, losing 2.7% on the week.
- FTSE 100 added 1.6% for the week.
- Roughly 80% of Diageo’s weekly volume traded on days when the stock was down.
- Diageo is up next, with its fiscal 2026 results and strategy update set for Aug. 6.
London markets were closed Saturday, as usual. The London Stock Exchange runs Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. BST. Diageo plc LON:DGE last traded Friday, settling at 1,534p, off 0.2% on the day, down 2.7% from last Friday. The FTSE 100 (INDEXFTSE:UKX) closed out Friday at 10,679.03, up 0.25% for the session and 1.6% for the week.
Tape action stands out. Diageo shares closed down in four of the last five sessions. Out of 26.8 million shares for the week, 21.5 million traded on days when the stock fell—about 80%. The heaviest day was Wednesday as 9.3 million shares changed hands and the stock dropped 2.6%.
| Session | Close | Day move | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Jun. 29 | 1,566.5p | -0.6% | 3.46 mln |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | 1,522.5p | -2.8% | 6.72 mln |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | 1,483.5p | -2.6% | 9.29 mln |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | 1,537.5p | +3.6% | 5.35 mln |
| Fri, Jul. 3 | 1,534.0p | -0.2% | 2.00 mln |
| Measure | Diageo | FTSE 100 | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun. 26 close | 1,576.5p | 10,508.02 | — |
| Jul. 3 close | 1,534.0p | 10,679.03 | — |
| Weekly move | down 2.7% | up 1.6% | -4.3 pts |
Britain’s blue-chip index was up on Friday, finishing the week higher as financial stocks and precious-metals miners moved ahead, Reuters reported. Diageo didn’t join the rally. The market remains focused on whether the new management can halt pressure in the U.S. and China, not just overall index gains.
Chief Executive Sir Dave Lewis told investors in May that “North America remains our biggest challenge,” citing soft market conditions and saying the company’s offer needs to be sharper. Diageo left its fiscal 2026 guidance unchanged at the time: organic net sales are expected to fall 2% to 3%, organic operating profit is seen flat to up low single digits, and free cash flow is targeted around $3 billion. Stock Titan
Diageo’s half-year results show why the stock hasn’t joined the broader rally in London. Net sales for the six months to Dec. 31 came in at $10.5 billion, down 4.0%. Organic net sales dropped 2.8%. Volume slid 0.9%, while price/mix was off 1.9%. Net debt totaled $21.7 billion.
Diageo’s planned $2.3 billion sale of its 65% stake in East African Breweries (NASE:EABL) to Asahi Group Holdings (TYO:2502) is still the main balance-sheet trigger. Reuters said the deal should close in the second half of 2026. Interim CEO Nick Jhangiani told investors in December the sale would “strengthen the balance sheet.” Reuters
Analysts say the reset is still in progress. After Diageo lowered its outlook and dividend in February, Dan Coatsworth at AJ Bell told Reuters, “the repair job is massive.” Goodbody analyst Fintan Ryan said Lewis won’t be judged until his full strategy is clear. Reuters
Diageo has no corporate events on the schedule next week, according to the company calendar. The next event is set for Aug. 6, when Diageo plans to release preliminary results for the year ended June 30 and provide a strategy update. The stock lost the 1,540p level on Friday, with 1,483.5p as last week’s closing low.
