Source: Sharecast
Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said they are “in the firing line if Trump doesn’t give the UK special treatment” when it comes to tariffs.
On the upside, advertising giant WPP was the standout gainer on the index, having slumped on Tuesday after Bank of America Merrill Lynch said it expects first-quarter results on 25 April to show a further deterioration in like-for-like revenue growth.
Distribution and outsourcing firm Bunzl ticked higher after an upgrade to ‘buy’ from ‘hold’ at Stifel.
Diageo was also in the black after Berenberg said in a research on the beverages sector that it and Pernod Ricard “offer the most attractive risk/reward profiles to play this tariff uncertainty”.
“Diageo’s share price and valuation have corrected to reflect a higher US bond yield, lower earnings expectations and tariff risk,” the bank said.
"”The stock is now trading at a calendar 2025 EV/EBITA of 14.5x. This represents a circa 10% premium to its key peer Pernod Ricard, which we think can be justified by the company’s superior ROIC track record.
“Given Diageo’s size and geographical diversification, we view tariff risk as substantial, but manageable, and think Diageo offers an attractive risk/reward profile to play the existing tariff uncertainty.”
Market Movers
FTSE 100 (UKX) 8,608.48 -0.30%
FTSE 100 - Risers
Flutter Entertainment (DI) (FLTR) 17,605.00p 3.44%
Bunzl (BNZL) 3,034.00p 3.20%
WPP (WPP) 577.00p 3.00%
Smurfit Westrock (DI) (SWR) 3,581.00p 2.93%
Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 365.10p 2.41%
JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 70.94p 2.22%
Associated British Foods (ABF) 1,960.00p 1.71%
CRH (CDI) (CRH) 6,928.00p 1.55%
Whitbread (WTB) 2,495.00p 1.46%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 261.00p 1.40%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 755.80p -3.03%
Vodafone Group (VOD) 70.38p -2.52%
GSK (GSK) 1,433.50p -2.42%
Persimmon (PSN) 1,180.50p -2.32%
British American Tobacco (BATS) 3,120.00p -2.23%
St James's Place (STJ) 946.00p -2.03%
Fresnillo (FRES) 934.50p -1.94%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 106.20p -1.94%
Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 3,554.00p -1.93%
Melrose Industries (MRO) 473.80p -1.78%