- FTSE 100, FTSE 250 little changed
- Spire Healthcare's shares soar amid buyout talks
- British banks to raise profit targets, sources say
Jan 26 (Reuters) - London shares began the week on a subdued note on Monday, with gains in metal miners offsetting losses in industrial stocks, as caution lingered in markets after recent geopolitical turbulence.
As of 1017 GMT, the blue-chip FTSE 100 index and the mid-cap index FTSE 250 were little changed.
Industrial shares weighed most heavily on London markets, falling 1.4%. Travel and leisure stocks dropped over 1%, pressured by broader geopolitical worries and rising oil prices.
The cautious tone reflects continued investor apprehension after last week's turmoil sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's Greenland-linked tariff threats against Britain and other European nations.
While the threat has since been withdrawn, investors continue to debate the long-term implications for global trade if tariffs become a standard bargaining tool. Fresh U.S. sanctions targeting Iran have further reinforced market anxiety.
On the flip side, precious metal miners hit record highs, gaining 3.6%, while industrial metal miners climbed 0.9%, buoyed by optimism over the broader commodities outlook and new peaks in precious metals.
Financial shares remained in demand, with banks and life insurers rising 0.6% and 0.8%, respectively.
HSBC and NatWest are set to follow their European rivals in lifting key profit targets when they report annual earnings in the coming weeks, according to people close to the matter.
On the economic front, Britain's economy has shown signs of recovery since finance minister Rachel Reeves' annual budget statement in November, following months of uncertainty for employers and households.
Investors are also focused on the Federal Reserve's policy decision later this week. While the U.S. central bank is expected to hold interest rates steady, concerns about its independence are likely to take center stage.
Among individual movers, private hospital group Spire Healthcare jumped 16% after announcing it is in early-stage talks with several buyout firms, including alternative asset fund manager Bridgepoint and Triton Partners, to "explore strategic options."
Shares of Bridgepoint were down 2.5%.
Reporting by Ragini Mathur in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid
Source: Reuters