FTSE 100 up 0.3% after Warsh cautious inflation tone
The FTSE 100 rose 0.3% on Friday, joining a broader European rally after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said recent PCE and CPI readings were encouraging but not enough evidence underlying inflation is improving decisively.
The FTSE 100 rose 0.3% on Friday, joining a broader European rally after Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh struck a cautious tone on inflation at the Jackson Hole symposium.
Warsh said recent PCE and CPI readings were encouraging but had not provided enough evidence that underlying inflation was improving decisively, reinforcing expectations that the Fed may need to keep policy restrictive.
As a result, market pricing for a September rate hike increased.
Financial stocks were among the strongest performers, with HSBC and Standard Chartered both gaining around 1.7%, while Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group also advanced.
Utilities also supported the index, led by SSE, which climbed 2.6%, while Severn Trent, Centrica and National Grid posted more modest gains.
Shell rose slightly.
On the downside, defence stocks BAE Systems and Babcock International declined sharply.
Despite Friday’s advance, the FTSE 100 ended August about 0.5% lower, breaking a four-month winning streak.