The FTSE 100 index remained under pressure this week after the UK published strong consumer inflation data, raising the possibility that the Bank of England (BoE) will hike interest rates. The index, which tracks the biggest companies in the UK, retreated to £8,667 on Friday, down by 1.7% from its highest level this year.
Top FTSE 100 index shares to watch
The most important FTSE 100 shares to watch will be Haleon, London Stock Exchange, Ocado, Rolls-Royce Holdings, WPP, Aviva, IAG, Rightmove, St. James Place, and Pearson.
Rolls-Royce (RR)
Rolls-Royce share price will be in the spotlight as the company publishes its financial results on Thursday. It retreated from the all-time high of 650p to 620p. These results will provide more color about its growth and whether it is on track to hit its targets.
The most recent trading statement showed that ts full-year underlying profit will be between £2.1 billion and £2.3 billon. Its free cash flow will be between £2.1 billion and £2.2 billion.
These financial results will help to determine whether the Rolls-Royce share price will continue rising. It has soared by over 75% in the last 12 months and by 1,740% from its lowest level in 2020.
IAG (IAG)
The IAG share price has done well in the last few years as it jumped by over 282% from its lowest point in 2020. Its strong performance has mirrored that of other airlines like United Airlines, Delta, and American Airlines.
The IAG stock price will be in the spotlight as it publishes its results on Friday. Analyst anticipate that its operating result will be over 4 billion euros.
IAG has done well as its revenue growth accelerated and as it restarted its dividends. It has also benefited from the current demand, especially for transatlantic route.
Aviva (AV)
Aviva will be another top FTSE 100 stock to watch next week as it releases its financial results. These numbers will be important as the stock is hovering near its all-time high. It was trading at 495p, down from the all-time high.
These results will be important as they will provide more information about its offer to buy Direct Line in a £3.7 billion. Amanda Blanc, the Chief Executive, hopes that the acquisition will give it more market share in the UK market. Analysts expect that the acquisition could lead to over 2,300 jobs.
Aviva has been going through a major turnaround in the past few years as it exited key markets like Australia, Russia, and Singapore.
St. James Place (STJ)
St. James Place share price has done well in the past few months. It has jumped in the last six consecutive weeks, and is hovering at its highest point since April 2023. It soared by over 193% from its lowest point in March last year.
STJ stock, the biggest wealth manager in the UK, has done well as the company sees more inflows. The most recent numbers showed that it had yearly inflows of £4.3 billion or about $5.3 billion. This growth happened as more UK companies retuned to money managers as uncertainties around tax changes rose.
Read more: St. James Place share price rebounded: will the gains hold?
Other Footsie stocks to watch
The other companies that may push the FTSE 100 higher or lower are WPP, London Stock Exchange, Ocado, and Pearson. WPP, the biggest advertising company in the world, has struggled amid a prolonged slowdown in the sector. London Stock Exchange stock price has soared to a record high, helped by its data business.
Ocado share price has crashed to 308p, down from the all-time high of near 3,000p as its loss-making trend continues.
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