Global shares were largely unchanged on Wednesday after unexpectedly weak US labour market data and a rout in British markets as speculation grew about UK chancellor Rachel Reeves’ political future.
Dublin
The Iseq index moved 0.2 per cent higher, led by Ryanair and the main Irish banks.
The airline jumped 0.7 per cent to €23.99 per share after reporting a 3 per cent rise in passenger numbers for June. On a rolling 12-month basis to the end of December, traffic rose 7 per cent compared to the previous year, reaching 202.6 million, Ryanair said.
Meanwhile, Bank of Ireland and AIB added 0.7 per cent each to close at €11.97 per share and €6.83 respectively.
RM Block
Kingspan also advanced, adding 0.8 per cent to €72.20.
Moving in the opposite direction, Glanbia gave up some of its recent momentum, slipping 0.4 per cent to close at €12.77 per share. Kerry Group also slid by 0.9 per cent to €93.45.
London
UK stocks lagged their European counterparts, while gilts and the British pound sold off after Keir Starmer initially declined to back his tearful chancellor at prime minister’s questions in Westminster.
The benchmark FTSE 100 slid by just over 0.1 per cent while the FTSE 250 dropped 1.3 per cent.
Oil and gas companies gain in line with rising commodities prices with Shell jumping more than 1.6 per cent and BP advancing by more than 3.1 per cent.
The mid-cap index was led lower by Bytes Technology Group after the software company issued a profit warning. Greggs also plunged after it said its full-year profit may be lower than last year as high temperatures in June discouraged people from eating out.
Spectris Plc jumped as much as 5.3 per cent after KKR offered to buy the British company at £40 per share.
Europe
Fuelled by a flurry of deals, European stocks rose in the early part of the session but turned lower after the US jobs data release.
The Stoxx 600 index closed marginally higher, while the blue-chip Stoxx 50 finished up more than 0.7 per cent.
Banco Sabadell rose as much as 5.5 per cent after Banco Santander agreed to buy its TSB business for €3 billion.
Banks advanced across the board, with Dutch lender ING up 1.7 per cent, France’s BNP Paribas up 1.9 per cent, and Sabadell’s domestic Spanish rival Santander ahead by more than 2 per cent.
Elsewhere, shares in Hellenic Exchanges surged close to 15 per cent, the most since 2020, as Euronext announced it was in talks to buy the Athens stock market operator
New York
US stocks were flat, erasing pre-market losses after a report showing an unexpected decline in employment raised concerns of slowing economic growth in advance of a more widely followed gauge of labour due Thursday.
The S&P 500 rose 0.3 per cent after US president Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam with furniture stocks and apparel makers recording gains. Nike and Lululemon also jumped to hit session highs.
Among single-stock movers, Tesla shares rose 2.80 per cent as the company saw its first increase in vehicle deliveries from its Shanghai factory this year.
Centene tumbled 35.85 per cent after the health insurer pulled its 2025 guidance, citing insurance market trends that veered from its assumptions and threaten $1.8 billion in revenue.
Apple shares ticked higher 2.10 per cent after Jefferies raised its recommendation on the tech giant to hold from underperform.
Elsewhere, stocks of some of Wall Street’s largest lenders including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America rose after banks boosted their dividends. – Additional reporting: Bloomberg, Reuters
