FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Falls on Friday

The FTSE 100 slipped 0.3% on Friday, mirroring a broader downturn in European equities amid falling oil prices and a selloff in US technology stocks. Crude prices weakened on rising optimism over a potential US–Iran peace deal and the resumption of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. That weighed directly on energy heavyweights BP and Shell, which declined 1% and 0.7%, respectively.

Globally, risk sentiment deteriorated following a drop in Apple shares and reports that OpenAI may postpone its initial public offering. The risk-off mood pressured financials, with HSBC falling more than 1%, as well as pharmaceuticals AstraZeneca (-0.5%) and GSK (-1.2%). Aerospace and defence groups Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems each lost 0.5%. Among miners, Rio Tinto eased 0.2% and Glencore shed more than 1%.

In contrast, defensives in the consumer staples sector outperformed: Unilever added 0.5%, while British American Tobacco advanced 1.3%. Despite Friday’s decline, the UK blue-chip index remains more than 1% higher for the week.