FTSE 100 – reaching new highs
The FTSE 100 reached a new record in October, peaking at 9,784.33 points on the 29th October before finishing the month at 9,717.25, up from 9,371.97.
Retailer Next led the blue-chip risers with a 15.79% gain, after it raised its full-year profit forecast following a stronger-than-expected third quarter.
In the 13 weeks to the 25th October, the retailer’s full-price sales rose 10.5% compared with the same period last year – well ahead of its earlier forecast of 4.5% growth and generating an additional £76 million in revenue.
The results were fuelled by gains both in the UK and overseas.
The Leicestershire-based giant has now upgraded its full-year profit before tax forecast by £30m to £1.135 billion, up 12.2% year-on-year.
It was closely followed by Airtel Africa (+12.71%), Games Workshop Group (+12.18%) and Rio Tinto (+12.15%).
Other notable movers included Rentokil Initial (+11.74%), Associated British Foods (+10.92%) and NatWest Group (+10.86%), all buoyed by resilient trading updates.
London Stock Exchange Group itself (+9.84%), Marks & Spencer Group (+8.63%) and Polar Capital Technology Trust (+8.30%) rounded out the top ten.
At the other end, advertising giant WPP tumbled 22.46%.
On Thursday, the company warned that full-year results will come in at the low end of expectations after reporting a weaker-than-expected third quarter, prompting a strategic review aimed at reigniting growth.
Revenue for the three months to the 30th September fell 8.4% year on year to £3.26bn, with like-for-like revenue down 3.5%.
Chief executive Cindy Rose admitted that recent performance had been “unacceptable” but said the group was moving at pace to simplify its structure.
Mondi (-18.09%) and ICG (-12.78%) also struggled, while Whitbread (-9.27%), Entain (-9.17%) and BAE Systems (-8.15%) were among the other major fallers, joined by JD Sports Fashion (-8.47%), RELX (-4.03%), Rightmove (-4.73%) and Barratt Redrow (-4.25%).
FTSE 250 – THG among winners as Ceres Powers to yearly peak
The mid-cap FTSE 250 rose from 21,917.38 to 22,170.97 points, hitting a high of 22,598.54 on the 27th October before easing back.
Energy tech firm Ceres Power Holdings stole the spotlight with a 73.48% surge, while Matthew Moulding’s THG climbed 23.81% and Molten Ventures gained 21.23%.
Shares in Manchester-based THG jumped after the online retail group posted its highest organic growth in four years on the 14th October.
Group revenue rose 6.3% to £405.2m in Q3 2025, marking the best quarterly performance since late 2021.
Growth was driven by a 10% rise in THG Nutrition and continued momentum in the Beauty division.
Elsewhere, support services group Mitie, which confirmed plans to resume a £100m share buyback on the same day, rose 19.08%, with financial names Man Group (+15.62%), IP Group (+15.27%) and Ninety One (+14.09%) also performing strongly.
Oxford Biomedica (+11.36%), Pennon Group (+10.37%) and Patria Private Equity Trust (+9.21%) completed the list of the month’s biggest mid-cap winners.
The fallers’ table was led by Playtech (-27.21%), which came under fire two weeks ago after rival Evolution AB publicly accused the company of secretly commissioning a defamatory smear campaign to damage its business.
However, a spokesperson for Playtech told BusinessCloud that it welcomed the court examination of the report and its findings.
It added that “the discovery process will provide access to Evolution’s internal documents and require Evolution’s personnel to give sworn testimony under oath [which] will vindicate Playtech’s position”.
Unite Group also fell by -22.06%, whilst Rank Group (-13.81%), ITV (-13.80%), Oxford Nanopore Technologies (-12.85%), Raspberry Pi Holdings (-12.84%) and Pinewood Technologies (-10.56%) lost ground during the month.
Broadcasting giant ITV saw its shares slump following the news that Liberty Global, the US media and telecoms group founded by billionaire John Malone, had sold roughly half of its long-held 10% stake in the firm.
The British staple has been the subject of persistent takeover rumours and Liberty said it was selling about 191m shares, worth approximately £140m.
The top 10 risers and fallers in full:
FTSE 100
Risers:
Next – +15.79%
Airtel Africa – +12.71%
Games Workshop Group – +12.18%
Rio Tinto – +12.15%
Rentokil Initial – +11.74%
Associated British Foods – +10.92%
NatWest Group – +10.86%
London Stock Exchange Group – +9.84%
Marks & Spencer Group – +8.63%
Polar Capital Technology Trust – +8.30%
Fallers:
WWP – -22.46%
Mondi – -18.09%
ICG Plc – -12.78%
Whitbread – -9.27%
Entain – -9.17%
BAE Systems – -8.15%
JD Sports Fashion – -8.47%
RELX – -4.03%
Rightmove – -4.73%
Barratt Redrow – -4.25%
FTSE 250
Risers:
Ceres Power Holdings – +73.48%
THG – +23.81%
Molten Ventures – +21.23%
Mitie Group – +19.08%
Man Group – +15.62%
IP Group – +15.27%
Ninety One – +14.09%
Oxford Biomedica – +11.36%
Pennon Group – +10.37%
Patria Private Equity Trust plc – +9.21%
Fallers:
Playtech – -27.21%
Unite Group – -22.06%
Rank Group – -13.81%
ITV – -13.80%
Oxford Nanopore Technologies – -12.85%
Raspberry Pi Holdings – -12.84%
Pinewood Technologies Group plc – -10.56%
SSP Group – -10.70%
Victrex – -9.26%
Trainline – -9.17%