XM does not provide services to residents of the United States of America.

FTSE 100 drops over 1% on strong retail sales, rising pound pressure



<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><title>UPDATE 1-FTSE 100 drops over 1% on strong retail sales, rising pound pressure</title></head><body>

For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window

FTSE 100 down 1.2%, FTSE 250 off 1.6%

Retail sales rose 1% in August

Burberry falls after Jefferies downgrade

Dr. Martens slips to record low on share sale at discount

Updated at 1540 GMT

By Khushi Singh and Lisa Pauline Mattackal

Sept 20 (Reuters) -The UK's benchmark FTSE 100 stock index slipped on Friday, registering weekly declines, after hotter-than-expected retail sales data from the economy, while a rise in the British pound GBP=D3 pressured export-oriented companies.

The FTSE 100 .FTSE fell 1.2%, while the more domestically-focussed midcap index .FTMC lost 1.6%. Both indexes marked weekly losses and their biggest one-day fall in almost seven weeks.

British retail sales rose by a stronger-than-expected 1% in August, beating forecasts for a monthly rise of 0.4% and growth in July was revised up, data showed.

The data provided an extra boost to the pound's upbeat trend, which has risen to its highest level against the dollar since 2022 this week after the Federal Reserve cut rates by 50 basis points, while the Bank of England kept rates on hold at its meeting on Thursday.

Friday's declines were broad based, with all major sector indexes trading in the red, led by a 5% drop in the personal goods .FTNMX402040 index.

Burberry BRBY.L lost 3.5% after brokerage Jefferies cut its rating on the stock to underperform from neutral, citing continued difficulties for the luxury goods sector.

Further dragging the personal goods index, Dr Martens DOCS.L slumped over 19% after a block trade was priced at 57.85 pence per share, lower than its last close of 64.10 pence.

Private investment company Bridgepoint Group BPTB.L lost 11.4% on the news of shareholder share sale at a possible discount.

Precious metal miners .FTNMX551030 were the only outliers, gaining 0.2% after gold prices soared above the $2,600 level for the first time, extending a rally boosted by bets for further U.S. interest rate cuts, and tensions in the Middle East. GOL/

UK stocks continue to lag both U.S. .SPX and euro zone equities .STOXX this year, with both the Fed and European Central Bank expected to ease rates faster than the BoE.



Reporting by Khushi Singh, Lisa Mattackal in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and David Evans

 For related prices, Reuters users may click on - * UK stock report .L FTSE index: 0#.FTS6 techMARK 100 index: .FTT1X FTSE futures: 0#FFI: Gilt futures: 0#FLG: Smallcap index: .FTSC FTSE 250 index: .FTMC FTSE 350 index: .FTLC Market digest: .AD.L Top 10 by vol: .AV.L Top price gainers: .NG.L Top % gainers: .PG.L Top price losers: .NL.L Top % losers: .PL.L * For related news, click on - * UK hot stocks: HOT and GB Wall Street: .N Gilts report: GB/ Euro bond report GVD/EUR Pan European stock report: .EU Tokyo stocks: .T HK stocks: .HK Sterling report: GBP/ Dollar report: USD/ * For company prices, click on - * Company directory: UKEQ By sector: FTAX * For pan-European market data, click on - * European Equities speed guide................ EUR/EQUITY FTSE Eurotop 300 index........................... .FTEU3 DJ STOXX index................................... .STOXX Top 10 STOXX sectors........................ .PGL.STOXXS Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors................... .PGL.STOXXES Top 10 Eurotop 300 sectors.................. .PGL.FTEU3S Top 25 European pct gainers.................... .PG.PEUR Top 25 European pct losers..................... .PL.PEUR
</body></html>

Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.

All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.

Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.

Risk Warning: Your capital is at risk. Leveraged products may not be suitable for everyone. Please consider our Risk Disclosure.