Global Stocks: UK equities head for fourth weekly decline amid lingering Middle East concerns

The UK's ​main stock indexes were on track for a fourth straight week of losses on Friday, as investors remained on edge due to uncertainty around the ‌Middle East conflict, ⁠and ⁠fears of a spike in inflation.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new ​extension of his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or ​face the destruction of its energy facilities, after Tehran rejected Washington's 15-point proposal to end the war.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 0.7% at 1125 GMT, while the ⁠midcap FTSE 250 ‌fell 1.2%. Both indexes were also headed for steep monthly losses.


* Most sub-sectors traded in the red, except ⁠healthcare , which rose 1.6%, as positive late-stage trial results ​for AstraZeneca's experimental respiratory treatment sent the drugmaker's ​shares up 2.9%.

* Lloyds Banking group fell 1.9% after Britain's Treasury Committee said an IT glitch earlier this month exposed personal data of nearly half a million bank customers.

* Metlen fell 6% to the bottom of the benchmark index after the ‌Greek energy group delayed its FY25 results.

* Official data showed retail sales fell in February after logging ​the strongest ​growth in a ⁠year and a half in January, with Marchlikely to come under pressure as a war-driven surge in oil prices weighs on households' disposable ​income.

* Meanwhile, British consumer sentimentfell to its lowest level in nearly a year in March, a closely watched monthly survey showed, as concerns over the economic fallout from the Iran war and the prospect of sharp price rises kept households on edge.