London's stock markets closed firmly in positive territory on Thursday, 15 January 2026, buoyed by unexpectedly robust economic indicators from the United States that offset concerns over corporate earnings from some UK retailers.
Market Indices Climb on Transatlantic Data
The FTSE 100 index advanced by 54.59 points, or 0.5%, to settle at 10,238.94. The domestically-focused FTSE 250 saw an even stronger performance, jumping 322.67 points, or 1.4%, to close at 23,279.98. The AIM All-Share index also ended the day higher, gaining 0.4%.
The rally was primarily driven by positive surprises from US economic data. Two key manufacturing surveys for January showed significant improvement. The New York Federal Reserve's Empire State index surged to 7.7 points from negative 3.7 in December, while the Philadelphia Fed's index leapt to 12.6 points from a revised negative 8.8. Both figures comfortably beat analyst forecasts.
Further supporting sentiment, US initial jobless claims unexpectedly fell to 198,000 for the week ending 10 January, dipping below market expectations and reaching their lowest four-week average in nearly two years.
Corporate Stars and Laggards
Leading the gains on the blue-chip index was asset manager Schroders, which soared 9.8%. The London-based firm forecast an adjusted operating profit of at least £745 million for 2025, representing a substantial 24% increase from the previous year.
The standout performer on the FTSE 250 was emerging markets specialist Ashmore Group, which rocketed 24% higher. The company reported a 7.8% increase in assets under management to $52.5 billion at the end of December, bolstered by positive investor inflows and strong investment performance.
However, the session was not positive for all. Homewares retailer Dunelm saw its share price collapse by 20% after issuing a cautious outlook. Despite reporting a 3.6% rise in first-half sales to £926 million, the company warned that second-quarter trading had been softer than expected. Consequently, Dunelm now anticipates its financial 2026 pre-tax profit will land at the lower end of the analyst consensus range of £214 million to £227 million.
In other corporate news, London-based estate agency Foxtons lost 6.3% despite reporting higher annual revenue, as it flagged a weaker sales pipeline at the start of 2026.
Commodities, Currencies, and Global Moves
In currency markets, the pound softened to $1.3388 against the US dollar by the London close, down from $1.3450 on Wednesday. The euro also lost ground against the dollar.
Commodity prices were mixed. Brent crude oil fell to $63.55 a barrel, pressured in part by a European Commission announcement that the price cap on Russian oil would be lowered to $44.10 per barrel from 1 February. Gold edged slightly lower to $4,616.76 an ounce.
In geopolitical developments, troops from several European nations, including the UK, France, and Germany, began arriving in Greenland. The deployment is a show of support for the Arctic island's security, following diplomatic disagreements between the US and its European allies regarding the territory's future.
Looking ahead, investors will monitor German inflation and US industrial production data due on Friday, 16 January, alongside trading updates from UK firms Johnson Service and MJ Gleeson.
