FTSE 100 Closes 0.1% Higher at 10,729.78 Despite Tech Sell-Off
Published on 10/30/2026 at 23:05 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFTSE 100 Holds Firm as Tech Sells Off
- The FTSE 100 closed at 10,729.78 on Friday, October 30, up 7.71 points or 0.1 percent.
- AstraZeneca and BT Group led gainers, while NatWest and technology-exposed shares weakened.
- Oil prices near six-month highs supported London energy stocks, while artificial intelligence spending concerns pressured technology markets.
- Investors now face a busy UK data and central-bank calendar in the coming week.
The FTSE 100 ended Friday's session at 10,729.78, according to Hargreaves Lansdown. The index rose 7.71 points, equivalent to 0.1 percent, from Thursday's close of 10,722.07. It finished off the day's highs but remained one of the better-performing major European benchmarks.
London Resists Broader Technology Weakness
The session was shaped by renewed selling in technology shares after disappointing results and spending concerns involving major US technology companies. Alliance News, published by Morningstar, reported that the FTSE 100 moved in and out of positive territory during the afternoon while US technology stocks fell sharply. London's relatively limited exposure to pure-play technology helped the index withstand the regional pressure.
Energy stocks also provided support as Brent crude traded near a six-month high. The oil price rise benefited the heavyweight energy sector, while the defensive healthcare segment added resilience. AstraZeneca was among the strongest FTSE 100 performers after its results, and BT Group advanced following reports concerning a potential agreement with Virgin Media O2 to use BT's Openreach network.
NatWest Weighs on Banks
Banking shares were a notable drag. NatWest Group was the weakest FTSE 100 constituent after its third-quarter update and guidance on net interest margins unsettled investors. The bank reported operating pretax profit of GBP2.23 billion for the quarter, up 1.9 percent year on year, while net interest income was below market expectations, according to Alliance News.
Technology-linked names also remained under pressure. Computacenter fell sharply, while Polar Capital Technology Trust declined as investors reassessed the outlook for artificial intelligence investment and the cost of data-centre expansion. The contrast with AstraZeneca and energy shares underscored the sector composition that helped London diverge from more technology-heavy markets.
Investors Look to the Next Week
The FTSE 100 gained 0.4 percent over the week, while the broader European picture was mixed. Alliance News said the next UK trading week includes manufacturing purchasing managers' index data and a Bank of England interest-rate decision, with the central bank expected to raise rates. Those events could influence sterling, bond yields and the valuation of rate-sensitive sectors.
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