London, Feb 25, 2026, 09:49 GMT — Regular session
- Marks & Spencer shares were up 1.4% at 409.3 pence in early London trade.
- The retailer announced a multi-year partnership to supply travel kit for the Atlassian Williams Formula One team.
- Investors’ next big checkpoint is the company’s full-year results on May 20.
Marks & Spencer shares rose 1.4% to 409.3 pence in early London trading on Wednesday, after ending Tuesday at 403.7 pence. The stock opened at 405 pence and has traded between 399.3 and 409.7 pence so far, with the quote delayed by 15 minutes. (Lse)
The retailer said it has signed a multi-year agreement to dress the Atlassian Williams Formula One team as it travels to 24 races in 21 countries this season, a move it framed as a push to broaden its profile outside the UK. It said it now operates in more than 70 countries and that its Autograph menswear brand has quadrupled in value over the past three years. “Seeing the Williams team wear M&S this season will be a proud moment,” menswear director Mitch Hughes said, while Atlassian Williams executive Luke Timmins added: “We are proud to work with M&S to create a kit”. (Marks & Spencer)
The deal lands as UK investors keep flipping between rate-cut hopes and trade-policy nerves. London’s FTSE 100, a gauge of the biggest UK-listed companies, ended Tuesday little changed as markets weighed Washington’s tariff moves and fresh comments from Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey on the chance of a March rate cut. (Reuters)
Across Europe, a risk-on mood has been fragile but persistent, with shares pushing to record levels on Wednesday as financial stocks rebounded and some of the latest AI disruption fears cooled. “Volatility is likely to persist in the near term,” strategists led by Mark Haefele at UBS wrote, pointing to shifting tariff targets alongside the AI debate. (Reuters)
For M&S, the Williams tie-up is a brand play more than an earnings event. The company said the kit will include travel wardrobes and tailored formal wear, with marketing planned around Silverstone and other fan-facing activations.
The immediate read-through for traders is limited, but the stock has been quick to react to anything that hints at momentum in clothing and higher-margin lines. That sensitivity has only grown as investors try to map what falling interest rates might do for UK consumers.
Peers were mixed in early trade, leaving M&S’ move looking largely stock-specific on the day. Still, the wider tape matters for retailers: tariff headlines can rattle risk appetite, and rate expectations can swing valuations fast.
But there’s an obvious downside case. Sponsorship-style partnerships do not guarantee sales, and a tougher UK spending backdrop would test clothing demand just as retailers head deeper into the spring/summer cycle.
The next hard catalyst is M&S’ full-year results on May 20, when investors will look for guidance on margins, clothing performance and how much of the recent brand push translates into sustained demand. (Marks & Spencer)
