London’s FTSE 100 closed 0.20% higher on Tuesday as investors digested a flurry of earnings reports, corporate updates and deals from several heavyweight companies.
Halma (HLMA.L) was one of the top gainers on the blue-chip index, jumping 5.47%, after the safety technology group completed the sale of its NovaBone Products business and subsidiaries to Isto Biologics for $60 million.
Meanwhile, Segro (SGRO.L) rose 1.44% after agreeing to the terms of a recommended share offer from Prologis (0KOD.L) that values the UK logistics property company at 14.3 billion pounds sterling, including its proposed 2026 final dividend. The deal is expected to complete in the first half of 2027, subject to approvals. Prologis’ London-traded shares fell 1.53% at the end of the session.
Defense contractor BAE Systems (BA.L) also gained 1.91% after securing a three-year contract worth 135 million pounds from the UK government to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons.
On the flip side, medical technology company Smith & Nephew (SN.L) was the FTSE 100’s worst performer, falling 6.27%, after lowering its 2026 revenue growth guidance to 4% from 6%. “Poor wound (slightly surprising) and Ortho hip (not unexpected) performances are negative, but since neither sell nor buyside believed the c.6% guide, a cut here will probably be taken quite well (we would have expected to c.5%, not c.4% though), and the bottom line protection saves an EPS cut,” RBC Capital Markets said.
HSBC (HSBA.L) declined 0.80% despite posting upbeat second-quarter results and plans for an up to $1 billion share buyback. “HSBC printed a solid set of Q226 numbers,” BofA Global Research said, maintaining its buy rating and raising its price objective for the stock. “[Pretax profit] ex notable items was 5% ahead of consensus, driven by higher income. … Buyback restarted this quarter as per management guidance, at $1bn (vs Visible Alpha consensus c.$2bn).”
In geopolitical news, Qatar said a proposal for a US-Iran agreement had been drafted, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Tuesday that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be reached “today or tomorrow.”
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