Stock prices in London were steady on Wednesday morning following Tuesday’s global market selloff, with the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 little changed, while the AIM All-Share rose 0.7%.
Investors continue to weigh the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s Greenland tariff threats, with the president set to speak at the World Economic Forum in Davos later today and potentially meet European leaders amid his Greenland campaign.
Burberry (LON:BRBY) led the FTSE 100, rising 5.6% after reporting retail revenue of £665 million for the 13 weeks to December 27, up from £659 million a year earlier. The company expects adjusted operating profit in line with consensus for financial 2026 and said it will continue to improve earnings quality and drive long-term value.
Experian (LON:EXPN) fell 5.3%, the largest drop on the FTSE 100, despite reporting strong third-quarter growth. Total revenue rose 12% at actual exchange rates, while organic growth was 8%. North America delivered a strong performance, and the UK and Ireland showed sequential improvement despite soft economic activity. CEO Brian Cassin highlighted opportunities in AI and proprietary data assets.
Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) gained 4.9% after reporting broadly steady 2025 Pilbara iron ore output of 327.3 million tonnes, down slightly from 328.0 million tonnes, with shipments of 326.2 million tonnes. The miner also reported record fourth-quarter production, keeping full-year volumes within guidance.
On the FTSE 250, Premier Foods climbed 6.6% after third-quarter sales rose 4.2% to £375.1 million, with year-to-date sales up 2.1% at £877.1 million. The company expects full-year trading profit at the top end of market expectations of £193 million to £198.2 million.
JD Wetherspoon led losses on the FTSE 250, down 6.6%, citing higher-than-expected costs including energy, wages, repairs and business rates. Like-for-like sales in the 25 weeks to January 18 rose 4.7%, with bar sales up 6.9% and hotel room sales down 0.7%, leaving the company forecasting slightly lower full-year trading outcomes.
Across the Atlantic, markets fell on Tuesday, with the Dow down 1.8%, the S&P 500 down 2.1%, and the Nasdaq down 2.4%, amid the “Sell America” trade resurfacing.