FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Trades Lower for 2nd Session

The FTSE 100 experienced a minor dip on Thursday, following a 0.3% decrease from the previous day, as UK GDP figures aligned with forecasts. In August, the economy grew by 0.1%, recovering from July's slight downturn, driven by robust manufacturing output, while the services sector stagnated and construction declined. The figures provided some comfort to Finance Minister Rachel Reeves as she prepares for the upcoming budget on November 26. Leading the index's losses, Whitbread fell nearly 8% due to reduced guidance for its German operations, attributing the downturn to lower-than-expected demand and fewer significant events boosting travel. The company now anticipates up to £5 million in adjusted pre-tax profit from its German division, a reduction from the previous £5-10 million estimate, but noted stable trading conditions in the UK with strong bookings. Conversely, Croda saw an increase of over 2% after reaffirming its full-year forecast, although it cautioned about ongoing market challenges and limited order visibility through to the year's end.