FTSE 100 Dips as Investors Weigh Fresh Tightening Signals

London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.3% to 10,785 points on Friday, retreating after two consecutive sessions of gains as investors weighed recent decisions from major central banks and falling oil prices. The Bank of England held rates steady on Thursday but warned that a prolonged Middle East conflict could prompt tighter policy, while the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan raised rates this week and signaled scope for further tightening this year. Meanwhile, oil prices extended their decline for a third session as Saudi Arabia worked to restore flows through its East-West pipeline, while US President Donald Trump is due to meet Gulf leaders next week. In domestic data, UK retail sales rose 0.5% in August, defying expectations for a 0.2% decline and rebounding from July’s fall, with department stores particularly strong as retailers resolved stock availability issues.