24.03.202608:20:14UTC+00FTSE 100 Attempts Gains

The FTSE 100 inched higher on Tuesday, attempting a modest rebound after four consecutive sessions of losses, as market sentiment showed early signs of stabilizing despite persistent concerns over the Middle East conflict. Volatility remains a key risk, with fresh reports of strikes and ongoing uncertainty continuing to weigh on investor confidence. Oil prices offered some support after trimming earlier gains, with Brent crude up around 2% to just below $102 per barrel, as traders turned more cautious on reports that US allies in the Persian Gulf could move closer to entering the conflict. Among energy names, Shell and BP advanced more than 1%. Pharmaceutical majors AstraZeneca and GSK also posted modest gains, alongside British American Tobacco and Lloyds. In contrast, HSBC slipped roughly 0.5%, while defence contractors Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems fell by more than 1%, and mining groups Rio Tinto and Glencore also traded lower.