FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Books Best Quarter since 2022

The FTSE 100 saw an uptick of over 0.5% on Tuesday, registering a 6.8% increase in the third quarter—the highest gain since 2022—primarily boosted by strong performance in mining stocks. On the economic data front, the UK's shop price inflation rose to 1.4% in September, marking the highest level in 19 months. This rise was attributed to increased prices in the DIY and gardening sectors, while there were discounts in laptops and back-to-school items. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has cautioned that new packaging taxes could further exacerbate pricing pressures. Additionally, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed that GDP grew by 0.3% in the second quarter, with the annual growth rate revised upwards from 1.2% to 1.4%. Among the major players, HSBC, AstraZeneca, Unilever, and Relx experienced gains ranging from 0.4% to 1.3% on the day. In contrast, oil giants Shell and BP saw declines of 1.8% and 1.9%, respectively, as crude oil prices fell amidst expectations of increased OPEC+ production and growing optimism over a potential ceasefire in the Gaza region.