Middle East Tensions and U.S. Jobs Data Affect London Stocks

London-listed stocks ended the week in the red despite some recovery after a strong U.S. jobs report. With escalating Middle East tensions and oil supply concerns, heavyweights in the oil and gas sector performed strongly. Meanwhile, personal goods showed gains as watches of Switzerland announced its plan to acquire Hodinkee.

London-listed stocks showed minor changes by the end of trading on Friday, recuperating slightly from earlier losses stimulated by a robust U.S. jobs report. Nonetheless, they closed the week negatively amid increasing tensions in the Middle East.

The FTSE 100 remained flat, whereas the FTSE 250 saw a 0.8% increase. Despite this, both indexes recorded weekly losses, with the FTSE 100 declining by 0.5% and the mid-cap index decreasing by 1.6%.

A highlight of the week was the oil and gas sector, which reported a notable 5.5% rise over the week, with prices driven higher by geopolitical concerns regarding potential disruptions from Middle Eastern conflicts. The Bank of England's hesitant approach to interest rate cuts also played into market movements, alongside upbeat construction sector performance.

(With inputs from agencies.)