FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Trades Lower

The FTSE 100 slipped about 0.3% on Monday, dragged lower by weakness in heavyweight consumer names. Unilever and BAT fell 1.6% and 1.5%, respectively. Those declines were partly offset by gains in energy stocks, with Shell up 0.7% and BP advancing 1.5% as crude prices climbed.

Investors remained focused on escalating tensions between the US and Iran, following reports that the US had targeted three Iranian oil tankers in response to attacks on US warships. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright cautioned that a new nuclear deal with Tehran may not be imminent, indicating that Washington could instead prioritize efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

On the domestic front, data from Lloyds showed UK house prices slipped 0.2% in August, pushing annual price growth into negative territory for the first time since November 2023.