FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Slips After Five-Session Rally

On Thursday, the FTSE 100 experienced a modest decline, poised to end its five-day winning streak as investors evaluated corporate earnings and trade developments. While U.S. President Trump highlighted "significant progress" in discussions with Japan, a final agreement remains elusive with further negotiations scheduled for later this month. UK stocks heavily reliant on exports, such as AstraZeneca (-0.6%), GSK (-1.2%), and Unilever (-0.6%), experienced a downturn as trade advancements appear predominantly centered on Asia. Conversely, Sainsbury's emerged as a leader on the FTSE 100, surging over 3% after announcing full-year results that met expectations, marking its strongest market share growth in over a decade. Deliveroo maintained its guidance but noted macroeconomic uncertainties. Rentokil reported a 1.5% increase in Q1 revenue, while Dunelm exceeded sales forecasts, remaining on course to meet full-year profit projections. In the meantime, the European Central Bank is anticipated to reduce rates by 25 basis points to 2.25% today, responding to decelerating services inflation and escalating threats from U.S. tariffs, which heighten the pressure on policymakers.