FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Holds Losses after BoE

The FTSE 100 experienced a modest decline on Thursday, influenced by varied earnings reports following the Bank of England's (BoE) recent policy decision. The BoE decided to maintain interest rates at 4% in a closely contested vote, hinting at a possible rate cut in December if inflation continues to decrease. Smith & Nephew saw a significant drop of over 11% due to a slight revenue shortfall, while Hikma Pharmaceuticals fell by more than 10% after adjusting its medium-term guidance, citing supply chain difficulties. Diageo also declined by over 5% after revising its outlook downward, affected by weak market trends in China and the United States. Although Citi reported quarterly sales that exceeded expectations, the optimism was overshadowed by its more cautious forecast and worries about short-term growth prospects. On a brighter note, IMI was a top performer, rising approximately 6.8% after confirming its guidance, and Auto Trader saw an increase of over 2% following robust first-half results. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca recorded a slight gain of 0.4% after announcing a record high in quarterly revenue.