Conflict in the Middle East will see the FTSE 100 pull back from its record-breaking start to the year.
It closed just short of the 11,000 level on Friday at 10,910.55, having hit 10,000 only two months ago.
However, the missile attacks in the Middle East mean it is expected to open lower on Monday and will rely on some strong figures from a busy week of announcements to resume any upward movement.
Aberdeen Group, Aviva, Craneware, Greggs, ITV, Reach, Taylor Wimpey and Weir, are among those reporting.
In a January update, Aberdeen Group said it had seen a 9% year on year growth in assets under management and administration to £556 billion (31 December 2024: £511.4bn), as it benefited from positive markets. The interactive investor platform was particular strong with a 14% rise, and Q4 net flows of £1.4bn.
Investors will be keen to see if the strong surge in the FTSE 100 since then has enabled chief executive Jason Windsor to build on progress in all three business segments.
Shares in Aviva stand near their highest mark since 2008, after a series of disposals to slim down the business, strong earnings, consistent dividend growth and the well-received acquisition of Direct Line.
Chief executive Amanda Blanc even felt confident enough to lay down new three-year goals alongside November’s third-quarter results including the return of £7bn in cash to shareholders, a sum equivalent to more than one-third of the company’s stock market value
Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that Greggs had a strong finish to 2025, with sales growth accelerating in the final quarter to 2.9% and 121 net new shop openings over the year.
However, full-year pre-tax profit guidance is expected to come in at £173m, down 9% on the prior year.
DIARY
Monday 2 March
- Full-year results from Smith & Nephew, Bunzl
- First-half results from Craneware
Tuesday 3 March
- Full-year results from Aberdeen Group, Greggs, Inchcape, Man Group, Travis Perkins, and Reach
- First-half results from Kier
- UK Spring Statement from Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves
- BRC UK retail sales
Wednesday 4 March
- Full-year results from Metro Bank and Weir
- First-half results from Galliford Try
Thursday 5 March
- Full-year results from Aviva, Entain, Harbour Energy, ITV, Reckitt Benckiser, Rentokil Initial, Serco, Taylor Wimpey
- Purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the UK construction index
Friday 6 March
- Full-year results from IMI
- Halifax UK house price index
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