Broader UK markets also edged higher, with the FTSE 250 rising 0.18% to 23,333.15, FTSE 350 gaining 0.78% to 5,660.33, and the FTSE All-Share up 0.77% to 5,598.46, while the FTSE AIM All-Share slipped 0.49% to 814.35, reflecting selective risk appetite.
Strength in the FTSE 100 was led by Entain PLC (ENT), which surged 10.47% to 648.00, followed by DCC PLC (DCC) up 7.97% to 5,010.00. GSK PLC advanced 6.91% to 2,080.00, while Beazley PLC climbed 6.90% to 1,240.00 and BT Group PLC gained 5.67% to 205.00. Croda International PLC also rose 5.49% to 2,862.00, rounding out the top performers and supporting the FTSE rally.
Dollar-Volume Heavyweights Mixed; NVDA, TSLA Drag While AAPL Gains
In the US, ETF and mega-cap activity dominated flows. SPY closed at $686.10 (−0.49%) and QQQ fell to $605.75 (−1.75%). NVIDIA declined 3.41% to $174.19, and Tesla dropped 3.78% to $406.01, weighing on growth sentiment. In contrast, Apple gained 2.60% to $276.49, offering partial support to large-cap indices.
Volatility Edges Higher as Sector Rotation Intensifies
The CBOE Volatility Index rose 3.56% to 18.64, pointing to rising hedging demand amid cross-market divergence. Strength in UK equities versus weakness in US tech underscores ongoing global sector rotation rather than broad risk-off conditions.
