UK stocks rise on hopes of US-Iran peace talks (updated)
14/04/2026 17:17
Updates after market close April 14 (Reuters) - UK's main stock indexes closed higher on Tuesday, lifted by industrials and financials, as hopes of U.S.-Iran peace talks boosted sentiment. Global equities gained after a report that the United States and Iran could return to Islamabad this week for talks brought relief for investors. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund cut Britain's economic forecast the most among G7 countries, citing the inflationary impact of the war in the Middle East. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index .FTSE gained 0.25% to 10,609.06 points at close, snapping a three-day losing streak, while the midcap FTSE 250 .FTMC climbed 2%. Oil giants BP BP.L and Shell SHEL.L slipped 2.4% and 2.8%, respectively, as crude prices hovered around $95 a barrel. BP said on Tuesday it will reorganise into two main units under new CEO Meg O'Neill, and also flagged "exceptional" trading results amid oil price volatility. Heavyweight banks .FTNMX301010 gained 1.6% as NatWest Group NWG.L and Standard Chartered STAN.L climbed 2.5% each, and Barclays BARC.L added 1.8%. HSBC's HSBA.L head of banking in Europe and Americas Gerry Keefe resigned, the lender said on Tuesday. Precious metal miners .FTNMX551030 rose 3.4%, tracking gold and silver prices. Fresnillo FRES.L and Hochschild Mining HOCM.L were up 4.7% and 4%, respectively. Among industrials, Intertek ITRK.L soared 12.8% to a one-year high after the product testing and certifications group said it is considering splitting its business. Travel and leisure stocks .FTNMX405010 gained 2.9% as oil prices slipped; cruise operator Carnival CCL.L climbed 5%. EasyJet EZJ.L and Wizz Air WIZZ.L rose 5.1% and 8.5%, respectively. Luxury group Burberry BRBY.L gained 2.9%, sending personal goods sector .FTNMX402040 up 3.1%. Imperial Brands IMB.L slumped 4.8%, its lowest since July 2025, after the Davidoff cigarettes maker flagged uncertainty for the year due to the Middle East conflict. (Reporting by Utkarsh Hathi in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed and Vijay Kishore) ((utkarshtushar.hathi@thomsonreuters.com))