U.K. Stocks Overview

U.K. stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, mainly due to losses in the Healthcare Equipment & Services, Household Goods & Home Construction, and General Retailers sectors.

At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 index fell 0.71%, hitting a new 1-month low.

Best Performers

• DS Smith PLC (LON:SMDS): +14.27%, rising 68.10 points to 545.50
• Smurfit WestRock PLC (LON:SWR): +6.25%, rising 236.00 points to 4,015.00
• Shell PLC (LON:SHEL): +3.53%, rising 88.00 points to 2,578.50

Worst Performers

• Smith & Nephew PLC (LON:SN): -12.48%, falling 137.00 points to 961.00
• Persimmon PLC (LON:PSN): -7.47%, falling 118.50 points to 1,467.00
• Taylor Wimpey PLC (LON:TW): -6.70%, falling 10.50 points to 146.30

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1258 to 578, with 619 stocks remaining unchanged.

Shares in DS Smith PLC (LON:SMDS) reached 5-year highs, up 14.27%. Meanwhile, Smurfit WestRock PLC (LON:SWR) rose to 52-week highs, up 6.25%.

Commodities

• Gold Futures (December delivery): -1.74%, down 48.85 to $2,751.95 per troy ounce.
• Crude Oil (December delivery): +0.76%, up 0.52 to $69.13 per barrel.
• Brent Oil (January contract): +0.67%, up 0.48 to $72.64 per barrel.

Currency Markets

• GBP/USD: -0.74%, trading at 1.29
• EUR/GBP: +0.79%, trading at 0.84
• US Dollar Index Futures: +0.14%, at 104.00.