FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Rises to New Record, Climbs 3% this Week

On Friday, the FTSE 100 rose by over 0.5% to reach a new all-time high, marking a weekly increase of approximately 3%—its most impressive performance since April. This upward trend was driven by positive UK economic data, with September's retail sales bolstering optimism in light of promising public finance figures and decreased inflation, indicating robust consumer activity. NatWest saw a nearly 3% rise in its stock price after announcing better-than-anticipated profits and an upward revision of its income and returns guidance for 2025, highlighting strong business performance. This development reflected a broader trend of strength among UK banks, which are benefiting from sustained high-interest rates. The London Stock Exchange (LSE) shares increased by more than 5%, continuing their 6.7% jump from the prior session following the release of strong quarterly earnings. Conversely, GSK's shares dipped by roughly 1.5%, despite receiving US approval for its blood cancer treatment, Blenrep, as analysts noted regulatory hurdles. In the backdrop, US inflation data revealed a slower-than-anticipated increase in consumer prices for September, which helped boost global market sentiment.