FX.co ★ FTSE 100 Rises to Fresh Record

The FTSE 100 achieved a record high for the third consecutive session on Wednesday, buoyed by renewed optimism around progress in U.S. trade negotiations. Confidence surged following a trade deal between the U.S. and Japan, which set tariffs at 15%, a significant reduction from the initially proposed 25% rate. This agreement also establishes a $550 billion fund dedicated to U.S. investments. Informa was a standout performer, surging by more than 5% after it revised its full-year underlying revenue growth forecast upwards to exceed 6%. This optimistic outlook was fueled by a remarkable 20% revenue growth and stronger-than-anticipated profit margins in the first half. Additionally, Informa announced an extra £150 million in share buybacks. Key players such as AstraZeneca (up 3%), Shell (up 1.3%), GSK (up 1.8%), and BP (up 0.7%) further bolstered the index's performance.