FTSE 100 today: Index lower as pound falls below $1.33, European markets mixed

Investing.com -- British stocks were lower in Friday afternoon trading and the GBP/USD continued to weaken, falling further below $1.33, while European markets traded in mixed pattern.

As of 1208 GMT, the blue-chip index FTSE 100 fell 0.01% and the British pound 0.1% against the dollar to 1.32. 

DAX index in Germany fell 0.1%, the CAC 40 in France gained 0.02%. 

Ibstock shares tumble after second profit warning amid construction slowdown

Shares of Ibstock PLC (LON:IBST) fell more than 5% after the UK brickmaker issued its second profit warning for 2025, pointing to weaker-than-expected demand in the third quarter.

The company now forecasts full-year 2025 EBITDA of approximately £71 million, about 11% below the consensus estimate of £79.6 million. Year-end leverage is expected to increase to around 2x.

Jefferies noted that the warning reflects a broader slowdown in the residential new build sector rather than company-specific issues.

CMA confirms Google’s dominance in UK search with strategic market tag

In separate news, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially designated Alphabet Inc’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google with strategic market status in general search and search advertising services.

The decision, announced Friday, follows an extensive consultation process that began in January when the UK implemented its new digital markets competition regime.

The CMA confirmed that Google maintains "substantial and entrenched market power" in search, with more than 90% of UK searches conducted on its platform.

Hays reports 8% drop in net fees as hiring market weakness persists

In other corporate news, British recruitment firm Hays Plc (LON:HAYS) reported an 8% decline in group net fees for the quarter ended Sept. 30 compared to the same period last year. The drop reflects ongoing weakness across both permanent and temporary hiring markets.

On a like-for-like basis, Hays’ net fees also fell by 8%, unchanged from the previous quarter.

Temporary and contracting net fees decreased by 5%, while permanent net fees saw a steeper decline of 14%, primarily driven by a 13% reduction in placement volumes.

AstraZeneca launches $4.5 bln expansion with New Virginia facility

AstraZeneca PLC (ST:AZN) has begun construction on a new manufacturing facility in Virginia, marking a significant expansion of its production capabilities in the United States.

The pharmaceutical giant plans to invest $4.5 billion in the new plant, which broke ground recently. This manufacturing facility represents a major addition to AstraZeneca’s U.S. operations.

BP wins arbitration case against Venture Global 

Meanwhile, BP PLC (LON:BP) has prevailed in its arbitration case against Venture Global regarding the U.S. supplier’s failure to deliver liquefied natural gas under a long-term contract.

The dispute focused on Venture Global’s contractual obligations to supply LNG to BP.