The stocks leading a FTSE 100 rebound
After taking a beating this week, blue-chip shares staged a mid-week recovery. City writer Graeme Evans reveals the stocks investors are buying right now.
4th March 2026 15:46
by Graeme Evans from interactive investor
Respite for investors due to a stable session for oil prices today ensured a familiar look to the FTSE 100 index as stocks including Rolls-Royce Holdings (LSE:RR.) and Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO) resumed gains.
This afternoon’s advance of 66.26 points to 10,550.39 also featured modest recoveries for BA owner International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (LSE:IAG) and Holiday Inn business InterContinental Hotels Group (LSE:IHG).
- Learn with ii: Top ISA Funds | How to build a FTSE Tracker ISA Portfolio | Income ISA Portfolio
Leading Wall Street benchmarks opened higher as the Vix gauge of volatility fell back 3%.
The FTSE 100 index started today’s session 4% down on Friday’s record close of 10,910 after risk appetite was shaken by the Middle East conflict and resulting 15% surge for Brent crude.
The oil benchmark peaked at $84.50 a barrel yesterday but has since settled at $81.25 after President Donald Trump said the US navy would escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Natural gas futures also drifted lower after this week’s surge to a three-year high.
This week’s higher prices and potential for energy supply disruption have revived global stagflation worries and left traders fearing a period of higher-for-longer interest rates.
- Iran: contained conflict or oil shock? The triggers you can’t ignore
- Tesco shares tipped to keep rising
- How to invest like the best: tracker-fund champion Burton Malkiel
Bond yields spiked on both sides of the Atlantic yesterday but have since steadied amid today’s calmer session for global markets.
The improved conditions prompted ii customers to snap up Lloyds Banking Group (LSE:LLOY) shares, having seen the lender fall 6.5% over the previous two sessions to as low as 95.6p.
Other popular trades for bargain-hunting retail investors included Barclays (LSE:BARC) and IAG, particularly given the latter only posted record and “world-class” annual results on Friday.
10 biggest FTSE 100 risers today
Company | Price | Today's change (%) | Change this week (%) | Change past month (%) | Change past year (%) | Forward dividend yield (%) | Forward PE |
3507.5¢ | 4.4 | -1.3 | -22.9 | 8.3 | |||
4034p | 3.9 | -14.6 | -9.7 | -25.1 | 4.2 | 15.5 | |
808.1p | 3.7 | -3.6 | -3.3 | -1.5 | 2.8 | 14.1 | |
1350.25p | 3.6 | 1.3 | 10.9 | 71.7 | 1.0 | 37.2 | |
1306.25p | 3.0 | -3.2 | -13.9 | 25.0 | 1.8 | 16.0 | |
1633p | 2.8 | -2.7 | -3.7 | -25.9 | 5.5 | 9.2 | |
362.3p | 2.8 | 3.8 | 11.7 | 156.0 | 1.5 | 25.8 | |
3283p | 2.7 | -1.3 | 0.7 | 16.3 | 5.3 | 9.3 | |
13305p | 2.7 | -1.6 | 2.6 | 33.2 | 4.6 | 17.6 | |
4013.5p | 2.5 | -6.0 | 10.7 | 135.0 | 1.3 | 29.9 |
Source: ShareScope. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
Some of the stocks hit hardest by AI disruption fears over recent weeks were back under pressure today, having shown signs of resilience during this week’s sell-off.
Sage Group (The) (LSE:SGE), for example, followed its flat performance on Monday and Tuesday by declining 20.6p to 826.8p today. Lexis Nexis and Elsevier business RELX (LSE:REL) also dropped 38p to 2558p.
They were joined on the fallers board by Barratt Redrow (LSE:BTRW) and Persimmon (LSE:PSN) after results by FTSE 250-listed Vistry Group (LSE:VTY) highlighted the margin impact of sales incentives in its current half.
Barratt also announced that David Thomas is to retire after 11 years as chief executive and 17 years with the group. His replacement later in the year is Dean Banks, who is returning to the UK after five years leading Sydney-based infrastructure services provider Ventia.
- The Analyst: AI stocks, trusts and funds still worth buying
- Sign up to our free newsletter for investment ideas, latest news and award-winning analysis
- Stockwatch: should investors back these four oil stocks?
The biggest fall in the FTSE 100 was by engineering firm Weir Group (LSE:WEIR), which reversed 360p to 3,042p as annual results led to a partial unwinding of this year’s strong gains.
The shares remain a third higher over the past year, which reflects further progress since the company’s disposal of oil and gas operations in 2021.
Pre-tax profits rose 4% to £447 million, while the Glasgow-based company expects to deliver further growth and margin expansion in 2026 amid a favourable mining industry backdrop.
Chief executive Jon Stanton said: “Through our focused strategy and supported by significant progress in 2025, we are creating a global leader in engineered hardware and software for the mining industry.”
He noted that demand for critical metals continued to build and that customers were increasingly recognising the need for new, more efficient solutions to unlock future supply.
Stanton added: “We reiterate our commitment to growing faster than our markets through the cycle, maintaining operating margins sustainably above 20% and generating consistent levels of cash, providing a clear pathway to sustained growth in total shareholder returns.”
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.