FTSE Indexes Stabilise After Trump Tariff-Led Selloff

(Reuters) – The UK’s FTSE 100 index edged slightly higher on Wednesday as investors assessed the fallout of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats on global trade and awaited U.S. economic data later in the day.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 edged up 0.1% by 1223 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 rose 0.2%, stabilising after a selloff in the prior session on Trump’s threat of hefty tariffs on some of its key trading partners.

Anglo American rose 2.1% after the miner sold more shares in its unit Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), raising gross proceeds of 9.6 billion rand (420.26 million pounds).

Meanwhile, housebuilders and real estate stocks climbed 1% and 0.7%, respectively, as the UK government bond yields fell to their lowest since Finance Minister Rachel Reeves announced her first budget on Oct. 30.

Investors were also keeping an eye on political developments in France, where worries about the fate of the new government and its budget pushed French stocks and bonds lower.

A slew of U.S. data, including the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge and labour market report, is due later on Wednesday, which could potentially offer clues on the U.S. central bank’s next policy moves.

Meanwhile, traders largely expect the Bank of England to keep rates on hold in December.

Aston Martin fell as much as 9% to a more than two-year low after the luxury carmaker warned that annual profit could fall as much as 11% on delivery delays and said it would raise new capital. The stock was last down 5%.

Pets at Home Group slumped 13.5% after the retailer forecast modest growth in pre-tax profit for the year through March 2025, with demand lacklustre as pet owners reined in spending.

EasyJet edged higher after the budget airline said it is looking to fly more passengers in FY25.

(1 British pound = 22.8429 rand)

(Reporting by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)