By: Fiona Cincotta, Senior Market Analyst
Fiona Cincotta, Senior Market Analyst at StoneX, outlines how UK equities are defying global trends with a notable performance surge led by defense and mining stocks.
The FTSE 100 has booked four straight weeks of gains, outperforming global peers including the Nasdaq and the Magnificent Seven. Fiona Cincotta, Senior Market Analyst at StoneX, attributes the rally to strong performance in defense stocks—such as Babcock, Rolls-Royce, and BAE Systems—driven by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s £68 billion increase in military spending and a pledge to reach 2.5% of GDP by 2027. Precious metals miners have also contributed, benefiting from rising gold and silver prices amid trade policy uncertainty. With UK stocks still trading at a discount relative to U.S. and European counterparts, and the index pushing above the 8800 level toward its 8910 all-time high, investors may see further upside ahead.
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---- Written by Frederic Guetin, StoneX TV Producer
---- Expert: Fiona Cincotta, StoneX Senior Market Analyst
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