--- title: "Today’s UK Stocks: Progress in US-Iran Diplomacy Boosts Market Sentiment, Stock Market Slightly Rises" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/290800636.md" description: "On Thursday, UK stocks rose slightly, with the FTSE 100 index up 0.09%. Diplomatic progress between the US and Iran boosted market sentiment, offsetting the pressure from falling oil prices, although BP and Shell remained under pressure. The UK consumer confidence index rebounded in June, attributed to the easing of tensions in the Middle East, alleviating concerns over energy and inflation. US Secretary of State Rubio completed his Gulf visit, promoting ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran, with access verification being the core of the disagreement. The Senate rejected the war authorization resolution" datetime: "2026-06-25T08:41:03.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/290800636.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/290800636.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/290800636.md) --- # Today’s UK Stocks: Progress in US-Iran Diplomacy Boosts Market Sentiment, Stock Market Slightly Rises Today's UK Stocks: US-Iran Diplomatic Progress Boosts Market Sentiment, Stock Market Slightly Rises Investing.com — On Thursday, the UK stock market rose slightly, as diplomatic optimism between the US and Iran offset the pressure from falling oil prices, although energy giants BP and Shell remained under pressure. As of 3:35 AM Eastern Time (15:35 Beijing Time), the FTSE 100 index rose by 0.09%, the German DAX index rose by 0.44%, and the French CAC 40 index rose by 0.11%. The British pound was quoted at 1.3181 US dollars, up 0.11%. The UK consumer confidence index slightly rebounded in June, with data from a joint survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Opinium showing that the economic expectations index for the next three months improved from -48 in May to -43. Helen Dickinson, President of the British Retail Consortium, attributed this improvement to "signs of easing in the Middle East conflict in early June, which alleviated market concerns about energy prices and inflation," but she also warned that "the rapidly changing situation in the Middle East and domestically could still impact consumer confidence." On the diplomatic front, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio completed a visit to the Gulf region, including Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain, deliberately skipping Israel, aiming to promote the US-Iran ceasefire agreement to skeptical allies and assuring that the US would not "compromise" the security interests of its allies during negotiations. Rubio stated that technical talks with Tehran are scheduled to resume on June 29 or 30 in Switzerland, with an expert working group officially launching on June 30. The issue of verification access remains a core point of contention in the negotiations. Rubio urged Iran to "allow IAEA inspectors to enter as soon as possible," stating that "this is a commitment (Iran) must fulfill" — previously, Tehran had rejected a suggestion from a UN official regarding full access for inspectors. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicated that verification work would proceed, but the specific timing is "not critical." The U.S. Senate voted late Wednesday night to reject the second war authorization resolution, known as the "Kaine Resolution," by a vote of 50 to 47. This resolution originally called for Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from hostilities with Iran. This outcome reversed the situation from Tuesday, when four Republican senators had supported an earlier version of the resolution passed by the House of Representatives. Trump, while attending an event with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, dismissed the resolution and denied U.S. responsibility for a missile attack on an Iranian girls' school early in the war, stating, "I don't know if they can solve that problem." Meanwhile, the Trump administration separately requested an additional $87.6 billion in funding, primarily to replenish resources consumed by the war. Buoyed by optimism over a ceasefire, the volume of vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz doubled within 24 hours, reaching its highest level since the end of February, with at least 34 vessels passing through, compared to a pre-war daily average of about 110 vessels. Brent crude oil fell by 1.1%, trading at $73.05 per barrel; West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil dropped by 1%, trading at $69.62 per barrel, both nearing their lowest levels since the start of the war. Gold futures fell by 0.23%, trading at $3,998.45 per ounce; spot gold decreased by 0.42%, trading at $3,982.42 per ounce. **UK Market Overview** Halfords' profit expectations for the fiscal year 2027 are likely to reach the upper end of analysts' forecasts, following better-than-expected performance in fiscal year 2026, indicating that its business transformation strategy is gradually taking effect. easyJet rejected a £49.3 billion takeover offer from Castlelake, believing the bid undervalued the company, but agreed to grant limited due diligence access, leaving room for a higher offer. Serco Group maintained its performance guidance for fiscal year 2026, reporting robust growth in the first half, continued margin expansion, and strong cash flow, with a contract pipeline totaling £12.5 billion. Moonpig Group's adjusted earnings for fiscal year 2026 exceeded market expectations, with improvements in both revenue and profit margins, a 25% increase in dividends, and plans to buy back up to £65 million of shares in fiscal year 2027. _This article was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence. 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