The FTSE 100 ended the session up 22 points at 10,466, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 climbed 0.96% to 23,167.47. The FTSE 100 gained nearly 3% over the week, decisively recovering losses from the early-May sell-off, while the AIM All-Share index fell 1.7% to 799 as investors continued rotating toward larger, more defensive companies.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.8% to a fresh intraday record high, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both gained 0.6% as investors continued rotating back into equities amid improving risk appetite and easing concerns over Middle East tensions.
Risers
Among AIM’s strongest performers, CT Automotive Group PLC surged 53% after reporting robust preliminary results and highlighting growing demand for near-shore manufacturing capacity in Mexico.
CelLBxHealth PLC is emerging as something of a recovery story after a turbulent period, with shares in the AIM-listed med-tech group climbing 44% this week as investor confidence begins to rebuild. Chief executive Peter Collins said the partnership highlights the growing importance of accessible, non-invasive technologies within modern oncology care.
MISSION Group climbed 38% following a wave of director share purchases, which investors interpreted as a strong signal of internal confidence in the company’s valuation.
Meanwhile, Invinity Energy Systems PLC jumped 38% after securing selection by FlexBase Group for a battery system project tied to a Swiss AI data centre campus.
Arkle Resources gained 11.5% to 0.725p after completing phase one geophysics work at its Namibian uranium licences, identifying two distinct mineralisation styles and accelerating drilling at the Eastern EPL 8995 paleochannel target into June.
Shares in Tapir Holdings climbed 7.69% to 35p after independent non-executive director Philip Johnson purchased 85,000 shares at 35p each, increasing his holding to 0.87%.
Fallers
At the opposite end of the market, Mercantile Ports and Logistics Ltd fell 31% as investors took profits following the previous week’s dramatic rally.
Nexteq PLC slumped 21% after warning that tariffs and higher component costs would weigh on revenues this year.
Palm oil producers also endured a volatile week after uncertainty surrounding Indonesian export policy triggered a sharp sector-wide sell-off.
MP Evans Group PLC ended the week down 19%, while REA Holdings fell 12%. However, analysts at Panmure Liberum argued the market reaction may have been excessive, noting that neither company exports palm oil directly and both continue benefiting from strong domestic pricing conditions in Indonesia.
Catenai dropped 7.41% to 0.25p after agreeing a further extension with Klarian over repayment of £699,160, with any additional delay beyond July 1 incurring a 3% monthly fee.
Sound Energy PLC slipped 5.99% to 4.55p despite progressing towards LNG production at the Tendrara concession in Morocco. The company reported a £1.82 million operational cash outflow during 2025 alongside £3.6 million spent on capex and exploration, while continuing expansion into hydrogen, helium and renewable energy projects.
Biomedical polymer specialist RUA Life Sciences eased 4.76% to 20p following profit-taking after a recent rally linked to the spin-out of its structural heart business. The company expects first-half revenues to rise 6% to £2.8 million with EBITDA breakeven anticipated.
Gold producer Metals Exploration fell 4.55% to 13.65p despite revenues increasing 9% to US$208.4 million on stronger gold prices. Operational free cash flow rose 19% to US$115.3 million, while construction of the La India project in Nicaragua reached one-third completion. However, reduced production guidance at the Runruno mine weighed on sentiment.
