FTSE 100 breaks losing streak after Nvidia forecast kindles global rally (updated)
20/11/2025 17:33
For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window FTSE 100 rises 0.2%, FTSE 250 down 0.1% Games Workshop, Halma stocks surge on strong forecast UK factory output declines Updates at market close Nov 20 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 snapped a five-day losing streak on Thursday, as defence and energy shares led a recovery amid a global rally sparked by AI bellwether Nvidia's upbeat forecast. The blue-chip index .FTSE finished 0.2% higher, while the mid-cap index FTSE 250 .FTMC closed the session 0.1% lower. Both the indexes were significantly higher earlier in the session, but they pared some gains later. A relief rally swept through global equity markets after Nvidia's upbeat forecast quelled some concerns over elevated valuations following analysts' caution recently that the AI boom may be outpacing fundamentals. UK's aerospace and defence stocks .FTNMX502010 rebounded 1.3% after a setback in the previous session. Industry heavyweights Rolls-Royce RR.L and BAE Systems BAES.L both gained more than 1%. Energy stocks .FTNMX601010 gained 0.4% as oil prices edged higher on the day. O/R On the economic front, U.S. labor data painted a mixed picture of accelerating job growth and unemployment climbing to a four-year peak. At home, British manufacturers reported their sharpest output drop since August 2020 during the three months to the end of November, citing uncertainty ahead of next week's budget and warning that conditions are unlikely to improve soon. Among other movers, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca AZN.L advanced 0.4% after its drug to control growth of non-cancerous tumours was approved in the U.S. Halma HLMA.L jumped 9.2% to an all-time high after the health and safety technology provider lifted annual revenue forecast on strong U.S. data centre demand. Miniature war-games maker Games Workshop GAW.L soared 13.5%, hitting a record high on strong half-year forecast. Johnson Matthey JMAT.L shares fell 3.4% after the chemicals company said finance chief Richard Pike would take on a new role as chief operating officer. Sportswear retailer JD Sports JD.L fell 3.9% after forecasting annual profit at the lower end of market expectations. (Reporting by Utkarsh Tushar Hathi; Editing by Anil D'Silva) ((utkarshtushar.hathi@thomsonreuters.com))