UK Markets Daily: FTSE 100 Closes Down 0.3% on Tuesday 20 October 2026
The FTSE 100 closed down 0.3% at 10,733.00 on Tuesday 20 October 2026, while the FTSE 250 fell 0.06%, gold fell 0.47% to $4,140.40 an ounce and Brent crude fell 0.56% to $108.94 a barrel.
TL;DR: The FTSE 100 closed down 0.29% at 10,733.00 on Tuesday, while the FTSE 250 fell 0.06%, gold fell 0.47% to $4,140.40 an ounce, and Brent crude fell 0.56% to $108.94 a barrel.
Market snapshot
Closing levels on 20 October 2026 (data as of 2026-10-20 16:35 London time):
| Instrument | Price | Day change |
|---|---|---|
| FTSE 100 | 10,733.00 points | -0.29% |
| FTSE 250 | 24,364.76 points | -0.06% |
| GBP/USD | 1.34 | +0.26% |
| EUR/GBP | 0.84 | -0.23% |
| Gold | $4,140.40 per oz | -0.47% |
| Brent crude | $108.94 per bbl | -0.56% |
| Bitcoin | $82,674 | +0.87% (24h) |
| Ethereum | $2,447.58 | +1.90% (24h) |
What moved markets
- UK shares eased, with the FTSE 100 down 0.29% and the FTSE 250 down 0.06%. The data and headlines fetched today show no single clear driver for the share moves, so we are not going to invent one.
- The pound rose 0.26% against the dollar to 1.34, while the euro fell 0.23% against the pound to 0.84.
- Gold fell 0.47% to $4,140.40 an ounce and Brent crude fell 0.56% to $108.94 a barrel, so oil stayed at a high level even after a small fall on the day.
- Bitcoin rose 0.87% over 24 hours to $82,674, while Ethereum rose 1.90% to $2,447.58. In today’s headlines, the BBC reports that the jobless rate fell but small firms are cutting back hiring, and that the Chancellor has rejected calls to raise Capital Gains Tax in the Budget.
Top UK business headlines
- Paddy Power cuts 1,400 jobs and blames betting tax rises (BBC News)
- Union attacks NatWest plans to get workers back to the office (BBC News)
- Jobless rate falls but small firms cut back hiring (BBC News)
- Chancellor rejects calls to raise Capital Gains Tax in Budget (BBC News)
- Burnham vows end to ‘rip-off parking charges’ under new rules (BBC News)
Tomorrow to Watch
The scheduled economic news that can move markets on Wednesday 21 October 2026, in UK times:
- 07:00: CPI y/y and Core CPI y/y (September), United Kingdom. These are the monthly inflation figures from the Office for National Statistics. Markets expect headline inflation of 3.4%, up from 3.1% last time, and core inflation of 2.8%, up from 2.6% last time. Core inflation leaves out food and energy, so it gives a cleaner read on price pressures at home. The figures usually move the pound and UK government bond yields because they shape what the Bank of England may do with interest rates, and this is the last inflation release before its November meeting.
- 15:30: Crude Oil Inventories, United States. This weekly report from the US Energy Information Administration shows how much crude oil US firms hold in stock. It usually moves oil prices, and through them energy shares, because a surprise change in stocks changes the picture on supply and demand.
- 22:45: CPI q/q (third quarter), New Zealand. This is New Zealand’s quarterly inflation figure. Markets expect prices to rise 0.8% in the quarter, down from 1.5% last time. It usually moves the New Zealand dollar because it shapes what the Reserve Bank of New Zealand may do with interest rates.
Times and expectations are taken from the published economic calendar and can change. We explain what each release is and what it usually moves; we do not predict which way markets will go.
See the full UK Markets Daily hub, updated every weekday evening.
Figures are indicative closing levels and can be delayed. Nothing here is financial advice.
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