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FTSE 100 at new high amid US shutdown optimism
The FTSE 100 hit an all-time best on Monday, passing 9,800 for the first time, as hopes grow for an end to the US government shutdown.
The FTSE 100 Index closed up 104.58 points, 1.1%, at 9,787.15, a record closing peak.
It had earlier set a new intra-day best level of 9,800.35.
The FTSE 250 ended 194.88 points higher, 0.9%, at 21,968.27, and the AIM All-Share climbed 8.07 points, 1.1%, at 757.54.
The risk-on mood came as the US Senate cleared the way for a formal debate on a motion to resume funding to federal agencies.
The Republican-led chamber approved a procedural vote after a handful of Senate Democrats crossed over to permit debate on a measure that could end the longest shutdown in US history.
“The prospect that the longest US government shutdown in history may end in the next few days has bolstered risk appetites,” said Marc Chandler, at Bannockburn Capital Markets.
In European equities on Monday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed up 1.5%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt soared 1.7%.
In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was little changed at around the time of the London close.
The S&P 500 index was 0.7% higher, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.3%.
Nvidia rose 3.9% ahead of results next week while Advanced Micro Devices climbed 5.7% ahead of Tuesday’s analyst day at which new financial targets are expected to be unveiled.
Morgan Stanley said the developments mean the government shutdown could end this week.
The bank thinks the first major data print post-shutdown is likely to be the September employment report, with other data on inflation and spending probably taking a further one to two weeks.
“We think the data in-hand by the time of the December Fed meeting will be enough for them to cut,” Morgan Stanley added.
Kathleen Brooks, at XTB, said the end of the US government shutdown “comes at the right time”, just before Thanksgiving.
“This should allow American families to fly all over the country for the holidays and it should mean that supply chains are fully functioning for the biggest shopping weekend of the year,” she observed.
Sterling was quoted at 1.3160 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Monday, lower compared with 1.3166 dollars on Friday.
The euro stood at 1.1554 dollars, down against 1.1582 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was trading higher at 153.97 yen, compared with 153.07 yen.
The yield on the US 10-year Treasury was at 4.11%, widened from 4.07% on Friday. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury was quoted at 4.70%, stretched from 4.68%.
Back in London, the countdown to the Budget at the end of November continues.
Speaking to the BBC, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the Budget will be focused on the cost of living, getting government debt down and cutting NHS waiting lists.
Speaking to Radio 5 Live, Ms Reeves would not be drawn on specific measures but said tax and spending decisions will be influenced by a productivity review by the Office for Budget Responsibility and ongoing conflicts and disruptions to trade.
It will be a “difficult” Budget, she said, but one focused on “fairness” and growing the economy.
Diageo rose 5.2% after it appointed former Tesco boss Dave Lewis as its new chief executive.
The London-based owner of Guinness stout and Johnnie Walker whisky said Mr Lewis, who led Tesco from 2014 to 2020, will join Diageo at the start of 2026.
Prior to his time at Tesco, Mr Lewis spent nearly three decades at Marmite owner Unilever, where he earned the moniker “drastic Dave” in recognition of his reputation as a cost cutter and turnaround specialist.
Jefferies analyst Edward Mundy said the appointment “ends the uncertainty over leadership transition and brings a heavyweight leader with extensive CEO experience on both brand building and transformation”.
“Not only does he have extensive CEO experience, strong brand-building capabilities and a keen cost focus, he played an important role in changing the culture and restoring the Tesco brand,” Mr Mundy commented.
Gains in the gold price lifted blue-chips Fresnillo and Endeavour Mining 5.4% and 4.5% respectively, while on the FTSE 250 Hochschild Mining jumped 8.0%.
Gold traded higher at 4,091.42 dollars an ounce on Monday against 4,012.24 dollars on Friday.
Entain rose 3.0% as Investec upgraded to “buy” from “hold”, while British Airways owner IAG rallied 3.7% after Friday’s heavy falls after third-quarter news.
On the FTSE 250, RHI Magnesita jumped 17% as it said performance has improved in the second half of 2025 despite subdued demand conditions.
The Vienna-based refractory products maker said adjusted earnings before interest, tax and amortisation were 136 million euros in the four months to October, significantly ahead of the run-rate in the first half of 2025 and in line with guidance.
In the first six months of 2025, RHI Magnesita reported Ebita of 141 million euros.
JTC fell 4.3% after agreeing a £2.7 billion all-cash takeover by Permira Advisers worth 1,340 pence per share.
RBC Capital Markets said conversations with shareholders suggested that price expectations were higher at 1,450p, “so we think there will be a degree of disappointment”.
“We are not convinced that this is yet a done deal however,” the broker added.
Brent oil was quoted slightly lower at 63.45 dollars a barrel at the time of the London equities close on Monday, from 63.51 dollars late on Friday.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Fresnillo, up 118 pence at 2,310p, Diageo, up 90p at 1,816.5p, Endeavour Mining, up 134p at 3,142p, Polar Capital Technology Trust, up 20p at 472p and SSE, up 74.5p at 1,943p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were London Stock Exchange, down 198p at 9,072p, Rightmove, down 10.2p at 563.4p, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, down 27p at 1,555p, BT, down 2.25p at 177.1p and Compass, down 26p at 2,479p.
Tuesday’s global economic calendar has UK jobs and average earnings data plus the British Retail Consortium’s retail sales monitor.
Tuesday’s UK corporate calendar has half-year results from telecommunications group Vodafone and sales, marketing and support services provider DCC.
Contributed by Alliance News
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Foreign Portfolio Investors put Rs 19,675 crore into Indian equities in early February, ending three months of selling amid global cues and a US-India trade pact.
US-India trade deal hopes lift FPI inflows to Rs 19,675 cr in early Feb
Foreign Portfolio Investors Reverse Trend With Rs 19,675 Crore February Buying: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) made a notable comeback in early February, infusing Rs 19,675 crore into Indian equities during the first half of the month, aided by improving global conditions and the US-India trade agreement.
This marks a clear shift after three consecutive months of net selling. Depository data shows FPIs withdrew Rs 35,962 crore in January, Rs 22,611 crore in December, and Rs 3,765 crore in November.
Even with the renewed buying in February, the broader trend for 2025 remains negative. So far this year, foreign investors have pulled out a net Rs 1.66 lakh crore (USD 18.9 billion) from Indian equities, making it one of the weakest periods for overseas inflows in recent times. Currency volatility, global trade tensions, concerns over potential US tariffs, and elevated valuations had weighed heavily on flows earlier.
Global Cues And Domestic Stability Support Recovery
Himanshu Srivastava, Principal Manager–Research at Morningstar Investment Research India, as quoted by PTI, said the latest inflows were largely driven by easing global macro pressures. Softer US inflation data improved expectations around the interest rate cycle, helping stabilise bond yields and the US dollar. This, in turn, enhanced investor appetite for emerging markets such as India.
On the domestic front, stable inflation, resilient macro indicators, and corporate earnings largely in line with expectations strengthened confidence in India’s economic trajectory, he noted.
Vaqarjaved Khan, Senior Fundamental Analyst at Angel One, also attributed the renewed interest to the US-India trade pact, the growth-oriented Union Budget 2026, easing global trade uncertainties, and steady domestic interest rates.
Volatility Persists Despite Net Buying Days
FPIs were net buyers in seven out of eleven trading sessions in February up to the 13th, turning sellers on four occasions. However, cumulative data indicates a net equity outflow of ₹1,374 crore so far this month.
The divergence was largely due to a sharp sell-off of Rs 7,395 crore on February 13, when the Nifty dropped 336 points. The period also witnessed substantial selling in IT stocks amid the so-called “Anthropic shock.” VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments, said as quoted by PTI, foreign investors likely reduced exposure to IT stocks aggressively in the cash market, as the IT index fell 8.2 percent in the week ended February 13.
(With PTI Inputs)
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February 15, 2026, 16:54 IST
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Macroeconomic data, global geopolitical developments and rising concerns over AI-related disruptions are likely to dictate stock market sentiment in the coming week, analysts said, even as investors remain cautious amid persistent volatility.Trading activity of foreign investors and movements in the domestic currency are also expected to influence market direction.
Focus on US data, fed outlook and AI risks
“In the near term, with tariff-related concerns easing and the domestic earnings season drawing to a close on a mixed trend, market focus will hinge largely on global cues, including the US labour data and shifting expectations surrounding the US Fed’s policy path”, Vinod Nair, head of research at Geojit Investments Ltd, said, as quoted by news agency PTI.“However, the overall sentiment is likely to remain cautious as investors monitor global AI-driven disruptions and geopolitical risks, while improved valuations and constructive GDP forecasts may help sustain FII inflows”, Nair added.He added that with IT and metals facing persistent structural and external headwinds, market leadership may rotate towards domestically oriented sectors such as banking, automobiles and select consumption-driven segments. However, broader indices are expected to remain range-bound until clearer macroeconomic and policy signals emerge.Analysts said investors will also watch the minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), scheduled for release on Thursday, for cues on the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy outlook.
Inflation, PMI and external data in spotlight
Ajit Mishra, SVP, research at Religare Broking Ltd, said markets will track wholesale price index (WPI) inflation and balance of trade data for signals on price trends and external sector dynamics.“High-frequency indicators due include HSBC flash PMI readings for manufacturing, services, and composite, along with bank loan growth and foreign exchange reserves data.“These releases will be evaluated for confirmation of growth momentum amid volatile global cues and continued repricing in technology stocks,” he said, as per PTI.Strong US jobs data has already reduced expectations of near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts, pressuring global risk assets and contributing to domestic market weakness, Mishra added.
Benchmarks end lower amid tech selloff
On a weekly basis, the 30-share BSE Sensex slumped 953.64 points, or 1.14 per cent, while the NSE Nifty dropped 222.6 points, or 0.86 per cent.Both indices ended the week on a negative note as a global selloff in technology stocks and concerns over artificial intelligence-led disruptions weighed on sentiment.On Friday alone, the Sensex tumbled 1,048.16 points to close at 82,626.76, while the Nifty plunged 336.10 points to settle at 25,471.10 amid a broad-based selloff, particularly in metal, IT and commodity stocks.“The Nifty IT index touched a 10-month low during the session before closing 1.4 per cent lower… The sector continues to face headwinds amid rising concerns that rapid AI advancements could disrupt traditional service models and weigh on future revenue visibility,” Siddhartha Khemka of Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd said, as per PTI.Metal stocks also saw profit-booking amid a stronger dollar index and reports that Russia may consider re-entering the US-dollar settlement system, raising concerns over weaker realisations for metal companies, Nair said.The broader market remained under pressure, with the BSE SmallCap Select Index falling 1.90 per cent and the MidCap Select Index slipping 1.19 per cent.
Rupee, FII flows and global markets
The rupee consolidated in a narrow range and settled 5 paise lower at 90.66 against the US dollar on Friday.Foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 108.42 crore on Thursday, while domestic institutional investors were also net buyers of Rs 276.85 crore, according to exchange data.Analysts noted that while the previous week saw support from favourable developments in the India-US trade deal and renewed FII inflows, sentiment turned cautious following escalating concerns over AI-led disruptions and a global technology selloff.Geopolitical tensions and continued repricing in technology stocks have increased sectoral volatility, prompting widespread selling pressure.Market experts said broader indices are likely to stay range-bound until clearer macroeconomic signals and policy clarity emerge, with global cues continuing to dominate investor sentiment in the near term.
New Delhi: Gold continues to remain the most trusted investment option among young Indians, even as access to financial products like mutual funds, stocks, and cryptocurrencies expands, according to a recent consumer survey.
The Smytten PulseAI survey, conducted among 5,000 consumers aged 18–39, found that 62 percent of respondents chose gold as their preferred investment, highlighting the metal’s enduring appeal among Gen Z and Millennials.
When asked how they would invest Rs 25,000, about 61.9 percent said they would choose gold, far ahead of mutual funds (16.6 percent), fixed deposits (13 percent), stocks (6.6 percent), and crypto (1.9 percent), the survey showed.
The findings also indicate that gold buying is becoming more personal and investment-driven rather than tradition-led. Around 66.7 percent of respondents said their gold purchases were primarily their own decision, reflecting a shift in mindset among younger investors.
Another notable trend is the move toward smaller and more frequent purchases. Nearly 62 percent of recent gold purchases were below 5 grams, suggesting that younger buyers are entering the market gradually instead of making large, occasional purchases.
Gold’s appeal becomes even stronger during uncertain economic conditions. The survey found that 65.7 percent of respondents consider gold the safest investment option compared with bank savings, mutual funds, or equities.
For many young earners, gold is no longer bought only for weddings or family occasions. Nearly 24 percent said their first gold purchase was linked to receiving their first salary, while 23.9 percent bought gold as an investment decision, signalling changing motivations behind gold ownership.
Overall, the survey highlights that while investment behaviour among young Indians is evolving, gold continues to play a central role as a trusted store of value and financial safety net.
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