UK Markets Daily: FTSE 100 Closes Down 1.7% on Thursday 1 October 2026
The FTSE 100 fell 1.7% to 10,428 on Thursday 1 October as UK equities slid, Brent crude dropped 2.2% and gold held firm above $4,190 an ounce.
TL;DR: UK shares fell sharply on Thursday 1 October, with the FTSE 100 down 1.7% to 10,428. Brent crude slipped 2.2% to $101.25 a barrel while gold held firm and the pound eased against the dollar.
Market snapshot
Closing levels on Thursday 1 October 2026 (data as of 16:41 to 18:05 London time):
| Instrument | Price | Day change |
|---|---|---|
| FTSE 100 | 10,428.27 points | -177.73 (-1.68%) |
| FTSE 250 | 24,143.21 points | -396.79 (-1.62%) |
| GBP/USD | 1.32 | -0.0042 (-0.32%) |
| EUR/GBP | 0.85 | -0.0063 (-0.73%) |
| Gold | $4,192.30 per oz | +$5.60 (+0.13%) |
| Brent crude | $101.25 per bbl | -$2.28 (-2.20%) |
| Bitcoin | $84,334 (£63,961) | +0.10% (24h) |
| Ethereum | $2,686.97 (£2,037.86) | -0.19% (24h) |
What moved markets
- London’s blue-chip index lost 1.7% and the FTSE 250 fell 1.6%, a broad sell-off across UK equities in the first session of October.
- Brent crude dropped 2.2% to $101.25 a barrel, its softest level in this data series snapshot, while gold edged up 0.1% to $4,192.30 an ounce as investors hedged.
- The pound weakened against both the dollar (-0.3% to $1.32) and the euro (EUR/GBP -0.7% to €0.85), which partly cushions the FTSE fall for overseas earners but raises import costs.
- One reported backdrop: the Bank of England governor warned the AI investment boom could trigger market shocks, though the data alone does not confirm this drove today’s selling.
Top UK business headlines
- AI boom could trigger market shocks, Bank of England boss warns
- Energy bills are rising by £60 a year, here’s how you can bring that down
- Household energy bills forecast to see biggest rise in four years
- Vape tax comes into effect, but prices won’t rise yet
- Trump’s AI rebrand causes ‘unprecedented’ demand for Slovenian website names
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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