London, June 8, 2026, 18:26 BST
- FTSE 100 closed 0.05% higher at 10,373.20, after dropping as much as 0.5% earlier.
- Tate & Lyle surged after Ingredion made a cash offer. Homebuilder shares were on the back foot with rate concerns still weighing.
- Oil pulled back from session highs as both Iran and Israel said they stopped attacks.
FTSE 100 closed Monday little changed after making up early losses. Oil prices dropped, which cooled selling tied to the Middle East. Tate & Lyle jumped in London after a buyout offer.
FTSE 100 ekes out gain, FTSE 250 slips
The blue-chip index ended up 0.05% at 10,373.20 after earlier falling as much as 0.5%. The FTSE 250, which tracks smaller UK-focused companies, lost 0.2%.
Investors had to weigh higher oil prices tied to new Israel-Iran strikes and questions about expensive AI-linked tech stocks. Crude was up over 1%, but off earlier highs after jumping 5%. Both Iran and Israel said they had paused attacks after U.S. President Donald Trump urged a halt.
Banks kept the market on firmer ground. HSBC climbed roughly 1%, ending three sessions of losses. The wider banking sector added 0.4%. Life insurers and beverage names topped FTSE 350 sector moves, each up close to 0.7%.
Housebuilders lagged, dropping 2.8% as the group came under pressure from worries that higher energy prices might keep inflation and borrowing costs up. Utilities fell 1%. The sector often trades like bonds given its steady payouts.
Reuters reported weaker outlooks for housing stocks after its poll showed UK home prices are now forecast to rise just 1.8% in 2024, below the 2.5% rise expected three months ago. London prices are now seen falling 0.3%. “Higher borrowing costs reduce purchasing power,” said Aneisha Beveridge of Hamptons Property. Reuters
Tate & Lyle shares soared 14.8% after U.S. group Ingredion said it would buy the British firm for 2.7 billion pounds in cash. Reuters said the agreement values Tate & Lyle at 3.8 billion pounds with debt included and would take it off the London market after 87 years.
Ingredion Chairman and CEO Jim Zallie called the deal a move to build “a global leader in ingredient solutions.” Tate & Lyle Chair David Hearn described the bid as an “attractive opportunity” for shareholders looking to get cash. Ingredion Incorporated
The market stayed mixed in single-stock action. Data from Trading Economics on TradingView had Entain, Intertek, and British American Tobacco leading gains in the FTSE 100. On the downside, Vistry, Scottish Mortgage, and Barratt Redrow ranked among top decliners.
Global stocks found some footing with Wall Street bouncing back. Joe Mazzola of Charles Schwab pointed to “buy the dip” trades coming in after chip stocks slumped on Friday, but flagged that Middle East tensions and this week’s inflation data could still weigh on the market mood. Schwab Brokerage
The session didn’t finish with a clear risk-on move. More strikes or a spike in crude prices could lift inflation worries and send bond yields back up, the same way it hit builders and utilities Monday. Tehran warned it could launch strikes again if Israel keeps attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon.
London’s drop was limited this time. The screens still sent a clear signal: foreign buyers see UK assets as bargains, but home market shares tied to rates are stuck, tracking oil prices, inflation, and whatever bonds do next.
