Stock Markets March 23, 2026

London Stocks Slip as UK 100 Hits One-Month Low; Energy, Telecoms Weighed Down

Index edges lower amid sector losses while select miners and consumer-facing stocks outperform

By Nina Shah
London Stocks Slip as UK 100 Hits One-Month Low; Energy, Telecoms Weighed Down

U.K. equities closed modestly lower on Monday, with the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 falling 0.07% to a fresh one-month low. Declines in Electrical, Oil & Gas Producers and Mobile Telecommunications led the market down, even as individual names in mining and consumer-focused sectors posted notable gains. Commodity markets saw deep declines in oil and gold, while the pound strengthened against the dollar.

Key Points

  • Investing.com United Kingdom 100 closed down 0.07%, reaching a one-month low.
  • Top session gainers included Entain (LON:ENT), Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) and Croda (LON:CRDA); major decliners included BT (LON:BT), BAE Systems (LON:BAES) and BP (LON:BP).
  • Commodities saw sharp moves with gold and oil futures both falling significantly; GBP/USD strengthened while the US Dollar Index Futures fell.

U.K. stocks ended Monday's session in negative territory, with sector losses in Electricals, Oil & Gas Producers and Mobile Telecommunications driving the market lower.

At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 dropped 0.07%, marking a new one-month low for the index.

Among the session's winners, Entain PLC (LON:ENT) led the list, rising 8.24% - an increase of 44.80 points - to finish at 588.80. Miners also featured among top performers, with Antofagasta PLC (LON:ANTO) climbing 7.32% or 230.00 points to close at 3,373.00. Croda International PLC (LON:CRDA) outperformed broader market averages in late trade, advancing 5.60% or 143.00 points to 2,697.00.

On the downside, BT Group PLC (LON:BT) posted the largest decline, slipping 5.94% or 12.60 points to end the day at 199.70. BAE Systems PLC (LON:BAES) fell 4.89% or 110.00 points to close at 2,140.00, while BP PLC (LON:BP) retreated 4.22% or 23.70 points to 538.60.

Market breadth on the London Stock Exchange was negative, with 1,020 stocks falling versus 866 advancers; 419 issues finished unchanged.

Commodity markets recorded steep moves in the session. Gold futures for June delivery declined 3.85% - down 177.61 - to trade at $4,431.99 a troy ounce. Oil prices tumbled: crude oil for May delivery dropped 9.01% or $8.85 to $89.38 a barrel, while the June Brent contract fell 8.81% or $9.37 to $97.04 a barrel.

In currency markets, the pound strengthened against the dollar, with GBP/USD up 0.51% to 1.34. EUR/GBP was unchanged 0.27% at 0.87. The US Dollar Index Futures eased 0.44% to 99.02.


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Risks

  • Sharp declines in oil futures - crude for May fell 9.01% and Brent for June fell 8.81% - introduce volatility risk for the energy sector and oil & gas producers.
  • Negative market breadth, with 1,020 decliners versus 866 advancers, signals potential broader selling pressure across sectors.
  • Large swings in commodities and currency rates could increase uncertainty for exporters, importers and commodity-linked sectors.

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