Today in the UK stock market: FTSE 100 index rises, GBP falls below $1.35; Anglo American and Aston Martin become focal points

Investing.com - The UK stock market rose on Friday, with major European indices all gaining. Meanwhile, the pound weakened against the dollar, falling below $1.35. Glencore and Aston Martin released the latest corporate updates.

As of 08:45 GMT, the blue-chip FTSE 100 index increased by 0.3%, and the pound fell 0.1% to 1.3451 USD.

Germany’s DAX index rose by 0.1%, and France’s CAC 40 index increased by 0.6%.

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UK Market Overview

Economic Developments - UK consumer activity in January saw significant growth, with retail sales increasing by 1.8% month-over-month. This easily surpassed December’s 0.4% increase and greatly exceeded economists’ forecast of a 0.2% modest rise. Year-over-year, sales jumped 4.5%, well above the market expectation of 2.8%. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlights strong consumer spending at the start of the year.

Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings (BS:AMLl) - The luxury automaker reported a decline in annual wholesale figures, delivering 5,448 vehicles in 2025, down from 6,030 last year. To boost liquidity, the company sold its Formula 1 racing team sponsorship rights to an affiliate for £50 million. Management expects an approximate gross margin of 29.5% in 2025.

Glencore (LON:AAL) - The mining giant reported a loss of $3.7 billion, mainly due to further impairments in its diamond business. The company remains focused on divesting non-core assets and advancing its strategic merger with Teck Resources.

Tullow Oil PLC (LON:TLW) - Free cash flow in 2025 reached about $100 million, below previous targets. After completing a debt refinancing deal, the producer reported an average daily production of 40.4 thousand barrels of oil equivalent, affected by its divestment of assets in Gabon.

AstraZeneca (ST:AZN) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Calquence (in combination with venetoclax) as a fixed-duration, all-oral treatment for certain types of leukemia and lymphoma. The approval followed the successful Phase III clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

HSBC Holdings - As part of a broader efficiency improvement plan, the bank reportedly laid off 10% of its staff in the U.S. debt capital markets. The layoffs included multiple senior positions in New York, ranging from analysts to managing directors.

Diageo (LON:DGE) - Reports indicate that CEO Duffy Lewis is planning to reorganize the company’s 14-member executive committee. The restructuring aims to address internal cultural challenges at this beverage giant, which manages iconic brands such as Johnnie Walker and Guinness.

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