The FTSE Finish Line - Thursday, March 13

By Patrick Munnelly of Tickmill

Thursday, March 13, 2025 1:08 PM EDT

Cutout paper illustration representing scheme and Stocks inscription

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British stock indexes showed mixed performance on Thursday as upbeat corporate earnings were tempered by lingering concerns over U.S. trade policies. The export-heavy blue-chip index managed to hold onto its Wednesday gains, buoyed by positive developments in Ukraine-Russia relations, while the pound weakened against the dollar. Despite this, apprehension over the impact of U.S. trade measures remained prevalent. The UK refrained from issuing an immediate response after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on Wednesday, though Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested that all options were still under consideration. Meanwhile, a survey indicated that Britain's housing market endured its slowest month in over a year during February, as buyers' urgency to complete transactions ahead of the tax break expiration waned. Further declines are anticipated in the coming months, with shares in homebuilding companies falling 1.7%, leading losses in the sector.

Single Stock Stories & Broker Updates:

Halma's stock rises 2.7% , leading London's blue-chip index. The health and safety device maker expects an adjusted operating profit margin above 21%, up from a prior expectation of around 21%, and is on track for record profits. Analysts at Investec note that the products' critical, non-discretionary, and sustainability-focused nature supports ongoing momentum. The stock has lost approximately 2% this year.
Shares of Savills fall 8.7%, the lowest since February 2024, as analysts cite a lack of turnaround plan. Chris Beauchamp from IG notes the need for a strategy, while SVS expects a recovery in transaction volumes by 2025 due to employees returning to the office. The stock has dropped over 20% in six months and is down 4% YTD.
Shares of OSB Group rise 3.3% after a ~7% drop earlier. The company expects a 2025 net interest margin (NIM) of about 225bps and a similar forecast for 2026. They anticipate a 5% annual dividend growth in 2025/26 and announced a £100 million share repurchase program. Analysts expect earnings downgrades to end, with mid-teens ROTEs from 2027 indicating potential upside for shares. The NIM forecast suggests an upward trend to 250bps from 2027. The stock is down ~5.8% over the last 12 months.
Shares of Volution rose 10.79%, reaching their highest since November 27, marking the biggest intraday gain since March 2023. The London-based company anticipates full-year earnings above consensus, reporting 10.4% growth in adjusted profit before tax and 8.9% revenue growth in H1 2025. Jefferies analysts note the company is "deleveraging nicely" following the Fantech acquisition, supporting ongoing M&A consolidation. Year-to-date, the stock had increased 2.68% up to Wednesday's close.

Technical & Trade View

FTSE Bias: Bullish Above Bearish below 8950