U.K. stocks fell on Thursday, snapping an eight-session winning streak, as the mood turned a bit bearish amid concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East following fresh strikes by the U.S. on Iranian targets, and retaliatory action by Tehran.
Also, higher oil prices stoked inflation concerns, raising the possibility of interest rate hikes by major central banks. Brent crude futures climbed to $95.98 a barrel before easing to around $94.00, still up nearly 2% from previous close.
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Market Analysis
May 22, 2026 14:46 ET Minutes of the latest Fed policy session was the highlight of the week along with survey data on the U.S. housing market. In Europe, survey data signaled the trends in the euro area private sector. Further, consumer price inflation data from the U.K. was in focus. In Asia, various economic indicators from China drew attention to the health of the economy.