FTSE 100 today: Stocks fall, pound climbs; Rightmove, IAG slumps, ITV soars

Investing.com -- British stocks slipped on Friday, with the pound hovering above $1.31 as investors digested earnings from IAG and Rightmove, while wider European markets turned red.

The blue-chip index FTSE 100 fell 0.6% and the British GBP/USD gained 0.2% against the dollar. 

The DAX index in Germany declined 0.8%, and the CAC 40 in France fell 0.2%. 

FTSE 100 roundup: 

• Shares fell after British Airways parent International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (BME:ICAG) reported a modest rise in third-quarter operating profit on Friday, while warning of softer demand for U.S. economy-class seats. Operating profit for the three months ended September 30 came in at €2.05 billion ($2.4 billion), up 2% from a year earlier and broadly in line with the company’s consensus forecast of €2.1 billion.

• In other corporate news, Rightmove PLC (LON:RMV) shares plunged after the UK property portal forecast slower profit growth for 2026, citing increased investment in artificial intelligence. The company projected revenue growth of 8-10% and underlying operating profit growth of 3-5% next year. RBC noted the new guidance suggests a 4-6% downgrade to consensus operating profit, reflecting an additional £12 million in profit and loss investment and £6 million in capitalized spending for future technology and AI development.
• ME Group International PLC (LON:MEGPM) announced it expects record profitability for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, with profit before tax between £76 million and £79 million. The instant-service equipment group projects total revenue for FY 2025 to be between £311 million and £318 million.
• Vodafone Group PLC (LON:VOD) and AST SpaceMobile have selected Germany as the location for their main Satellite Operations Centre to support a new European satellite constellation. The centre will manage satellite connectivity for SatCo, their Luxembourg-headquartered joint venture aimed at serving mobile network operators across Europe.
• Coats Group PLC (LON:COA) maintained its full-year outlook despite reporting a 1% revenue decline for the four months to October due to subdued market conditions. The British industrial thread manufacturer said performance was in line with expectations, with operating profit broadly consistent with the first half of 2025 and improved from the prior year.
• Wizz Air Holdings PLC (LON:WIZZ) has reached an agreement with Airbus Group SE (EPA:AIR) to reschedule its current order book, delaying the delivery of 88 aircraft originally due by fiscal year 2030 to fiscal year 2033. The budget airline’s total orderbook of 273 aircraft remains unchanged.

• Shares of ITV PLC (LON:ITV) jumped after the U.K. broadcaster said it has begun early-stage talks with Sky over a potential sale of its Media and Entertainment division, valuing the unit at around £1.6 billion.

• Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust PLC (LON:SMT) reported a 22.9% increase in net asset value (NAV) per share for the six months ending September 30, outperforming the FTSE All-World Index’s 15.4% total return in pound sterling.
• British house prices rose 0.6% in October compared to September, exceeding economist expectations, according to data from mortgage lender Halifax.