The FTSE 100 rose 0.9% on Monday, moving above 10,800 to reach its highest level since the record close on February 27, buoyed by strong gains in consumer goods and healthcare stocks. Unilever climbed more than 8% after reporting better-than-expected results, underpinned by solid growth in the US and emerging markets, and upgrading its outlook for 2026. GSK advanced around 4% after beating earnings forecasts, unveiling cost-cutting measures and plans to reinvest the resulting savings into drug research, while reaffirming that operating profit growth should come in at the upper end of its guidance range.
By contrast, Barclays fell nearly 6% despite posting robust second-quarter investment banking results, raising its full-year income target, and announcing a £1 billion share buyback. Investors judged the performance less favourably when set against stronger results from major US banks. At the same time, oil majors Shell and BP each slipped more than 1% as crude prices continued to soften.
