Defence: Babcock, BAE, Rolls-Royce plunge on Ukraine summit August 19, 2025 London-listed defence stocks plunged across the board on Tuesday, after this week’s talks between Washington and Ukraine led traders to pare back bets on the role that European countries will play in any post-ceasefire peacekeeping efforts. Shares in FTSE-100 engineering group Babcock – one of the best performing companies on the London Stock Exchange this [...]
What will the Trump-Putin meeting mean for the global market? August 15, 2025 US President Donald Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin this evening for their first face-to-face meeting in six years. The Ukraine war is set to top the meeting agenda, with the world watching to see if Trump can get his wish to pursue talks on a potential ceasefire and peace deal. [...]
FTSE 100 and sterling take a hit after Israel strikes Iran June 13, 2025 The FTSE 100 and pound tumbled Friday morning after Israel launched a flurry of strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear programme. The UK’s blue-chip index was down 0.6 per cent during early trading, led by a slump in the airline sector. BA parent IAG and low-cost airline Easyjet were down nearly four per cent following the crash [...]
FTSE 100 defence stocks: Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Babcock shares surge June 2, 2025 Shares in FTSE 100 giants Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Babcock have surged off the back of the UK government unveiled its strategic defence review. Plans to build up to 12 new nuclear-powered attack submarines have been included in the 130-page document, which concludes UK must prepare for conflict in Europe or the Atlantic and move [...]
US tariffs: Keir Starmer vows to ‘keep cool head’ in face of ‘economic impact’ April 3, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to “keep a cool head” in the face of the “economic impact” of Donald Trump’s 10 per cent tariffs on UK exports to the US, amid fears of a wider trade war. The Prime Minister spoke to business chiefs in Downing Street this morning in the wake of sweeping global [...]
BAE: UBS hikes price target to 2,450p March 24, 2025 UBS analysts have claimed that markets are failing to account for an expected jump in defence expenditure by European nations despite the recent surge in the value of weapons companies, such as BAE. In an analyst note, UBS analysts upgraded BAE’s stock price target from 1,600p to 2,450p and European weapons dealers Saab and Thales [...]
BAE Systems boss in line for huge pay day at FTSE 100 giant March 3, 2025 The chief executive of FTSE 100 defence giant BAE Systems is in line for a huge pay day if shareholders approve proposed changes to the group’s remuneration policy. Charles Woodburn could be handed a bonus worth 500 per cent of his base salary, which currently sits at £1.27m, if he is still in post in [...]
FTSE 100 hits all-time high as defence stocks soar March 3, 2025 The FTSE 100 index rallied to an all-time high on Monday morning, bolstered by surging defence stocks as European countries signalled their willingness to up defence spending over the weekend. The UK’s blue-chip index rose 0.4 per cent or 32 points after the market opened. BAE Systems led the market higher. The firm’s stock jumped [...]
BAE Systems plots £220m transformation to create hundreds of jobs October 29, 2024 Defence company BAE Systems is planning to invest £220m to transform its Rochester base into an “advanced technology” factory. The century-old site, which specialises in aerospace technologies and electronic systems, will be revamped into a “state-of-the-art” 32,000sqm facility. BAE Systems expects the bigger and “more efficient” factory will create 300 jobs over the next five [...]
BAE Systems raises full year guidance amid ongoing geopolitical tension August 1, 2024 BAE systems upped its full year guidance and hiked its interim dividend off the back of a bumper half year trading update which saw healthy jumps in revenue and profit.