Britain’s FTSE 100 edged lower on Tuesday as investors positioned cautiously ahead of a key deadline set by Donald Trump in the Iran conflict.
Trump warned that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran fails to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8pm EDT (1am BST), heightening geopolitical uncertainty.
The FTSE 100 closed down 0.8%, while the FTSE 250 slipped 0.4% in an otherwise subdued session. Senior Plc rose 0.5% after agreeing to a 300p-per-share takeover offer from private equity firms including Blackstone Inc. and Tinicum Incorporated.
US markets saw steeper declines, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 both falling 0.8%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.2%.
In commodities, Brent crude climbed to $110.24 per barrel, up from $106.75 at the previous London close, reflecting ongoing concerns over energy supply disruption.
Trump sets deadline for Strait of Hormuz reopening
Donald Trump has given Iran until 8pm EST (1am BST) to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that failure to comply could result in strikes on critical infrastructure.
The ultimatum underscores escalating tensions, with the US threatening to target key assets if Tehran does not meet its demands.
