FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Inches Up on Trade-pact News Ahead BoE Meeting

The FTSE 100 experienced subdued yet slightly positive movement on Thursday as investors exercised caution ahead of the Bank of England's forthcoming interest rate announcement. At the same time, hopes of a potential trade agreement between the UK and the US lent some optimism to the market. Reports indicate that the UK could become the first nation to finalize a trade deal with the US since the introduction of widespread tariffs, with President Trump expected to announce this agreement later today. The Bank of England is broadly anticipated to lower interest rates by 25 basis points, and investors are keenly observing for indications of a subsequent cut in June—this would mark the first instance of consecutive rate reductions since 2009. In corporate developments, shares of retailer Next appreciated by approximately 1% after the company surpassed expectations with an 11.4% increase in full-price sales for the first quarter and revised its financial outlook upwards. Conversely, Centrica’s stock plummeted by as much as 7.6% following a trading update that revealed a weaker-than-expected performance in its residential energy segment, largely due to unusually warm weather in the UK, although the company maintained its profit and dividend guidance.