London shares closed with minimal change on Monday, as gains in mining and healthcare sectors balanced out losses in industrial shares. Investors are keenly awaiting the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy decision later this week. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index remained nearly flat, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 index experienced a slight rise of 0.2%. Industrial shares exerted the most downward pressure on London markets, dropping by 1.6%, and travel and leisure stocks fell by 1.2%.
Budget carrier Wizz Air, which has sought U.S. approval to operate flights between the UK and the U.S. to tap into the lucrative transatlantic market, saw its shares decline by 1.4%. Investor apprehension continues following recent turmoil sparked by previous tariff threats. While the threat has since been withdrawn, investors are still weighing the long-term implications for global trade.
In positive movement, precious metal miners hit record highs, surging 5.4%, while industrial metal miners climbed 1.4%, supported by optimism in the commodities sector and fresh peaks in precious metals prices. Healthcare stocks also advanced by 1.1%, with AstraZeneca and GSK rising more than 1% each. Banking stocks traded 0.8% higher, with HSBC and NatWest anticipated to follow their European counterparts in raising key profit targets when they release their annual earnings reports in the coming weeks.
Spire Healthcare, a private hospital group, saw its shares jump 17.9% following the announcement of preliminary discussions with several buyout firms, including Bridgepoint and Triton Partners, to assess strategic alternatives. Bridgepoint is a leading private equity firm that focuses on investing in market-leading businesses, while Spire Healthcare is one of the largest private hospital providers in the United Kingdom.
