London Markets Retreat as Investors Await Key Economic Data

Imperial Brands dragged on sentiment during the session, with shares falling after the company disclosed plans for a series of job reductions. The decline interrupted a broader rally that had pushed the FTSE 250 to a record closing peak in the previous session. By the closing bell, the blue-chip FTSE 100 settled at 10,862.50 points, while the FTSE 250 landed at 24,744.54 points.

Despite the mild correction, market participants remain focused on the broader trajectory. Both indexes successfully notched four consecutive weeks of growth through Friday, a run of robust performance that suggests the current pause is a reaction to immediate uncertainty rather than a fundamental shift in investor confidence.