{"id":130146,"title":"Unilever drags FTSE 100 as index surrenders lead over S&P; housebuilders also drop","publisher":"Share Talk","author":"sharetalk","published":"2025-12-08T17:05:09+00:00","modified":"2025-12-08T17:05:09+00:00","canonical_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/unilever-drags-ftse-100-as-index-surrenders-lead-over-s-housebuilders-also-drop/","markdown_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/unilever-drags-ftse-100-as-index-surrenders-lead-over-s-housebuilders-also-drop.md","json_url":"https://www.share-talk.com/unilever-drags-ftse-100-as-index-surrenders-lead-over-s-housebuilders-also-drop.json","category":"Blogs","categories":["Blogs","Business & Support Services","Technology","Technology, Media & Telecoms"],"tags":["capex","china","chinese","CME Group exchange","COMEX","COPPER","Crude prices","FTSE 100","FTSE 250","Gold","Inflation","mid-cap","refiners","smelters","USA"],"featured_image":"https://i0.wp.com/www.share-talk.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/FTSE-100-11_12_23.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&quality=89&ssl=1","format":"news","language":"en-GB","content":"The FTSE 100 delivered a repeat performance of Friday’s pattern — steady for most of the day before slipping sharply once US markets opened.\n\n**Unilever** was the biggest drag, tumbling **6.6%** and weighing heavily on the index as the fourth-largest company in the benchmark.\n\nHousebuilders added to the pressure, with **Barratt**, **Redrow** and **Persimmon** all down more than **3%**, while **Berkeley Group** slipped **2.8%**.\n\nRetailers were also under strain: **JD Sports** and **Marks & Spencer** each shed around **3%**. Other notable fallers included **Entain**, **Diageo**, **Land Securities**, **Burberry** and **Whitbread**, as consumer-facing stocks took the brunt of the selling.\n\nChris Beauchamp at IG noted that the FTSE 100 has now surrendered its year-to-date outperformance relative to the S&P 500.\n\n“It had all been going so well,” he said, pointing out that the index had been leading its US counterpart in percentage returns for the year on a price basis — a lead that evaporated after today’s decline.\n\n“When priced in the same currency the lead remains firmly intact, but even so it is a shame to see the FTSE 100 fall almost at the final hurdle.”"}