FTSE 100 on track for best month since first US attacks on Iran five months ago – as it happened

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · Jul 31, 2026 · 2061 words · By Jasper Jolly; Gwyn Topham; Sarah Butler; Kalyeena Makortoff; Joanna Partridge

Corporate Financial Performance Financial Market Volatility Geopolitical Influence on Economy

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FTSE 100 on track for best month since first US attacks on Iran five months ago – as it happened Live, rolling coverage as London’s biggest companies defy Middle East disruption and UK petrol prices rise to around £1.60 per litre, the highest since Donald…

Claims checked 24

Techniques found 3

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left17%

Center83%

Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

The index reached a new record earlier this morning and – barring a significant worsening in the next hour or so – will finish the month up by about 3.5% at around 10,840 points.

Common ground

That came after a year low below 9,700 points at the worst point of the rout triggered by the attacks on Iran ordered by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Causal Oversimplification, Repetition: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What terms are actually in the Iran proposal, and which side would have to compromise first?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that London’s benchmark index reached a new record high this morning of 10,989.45?
How does this story connect Corporate Financial Performance with Financial Market Volatility over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/jul/31/bp-sell-north-sea-ai-recor…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Causal Oversimplification 70% confidence

Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.

Why it matters: Recognizing causal oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Repetition 90% confidence

Repeating a message until it is accepted as truth.

Why it matters: Recognizing repetition helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14

verified Verified 3

info Single Source 3

help Insufficient Evidence 2

check_circle Corroborated 2

verified

Claim 1: “London’s benchmark index reached a new record high this morning of 10,989.45”

VERIFIED

Web search results explicitly state the FTSE 100 peaked at 10,989.45 on Friday.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — FTSE 100 futures point to a gain of 25 points on Monday, entering the new month after gaining 3.5% in July, having hit a series of all-time intraday highs last week and peaked at 10,989.45 on Friday.
https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/1096411/…

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web search NEUTRAL — Mining stocks led the FTSE 100 higher. Antofagasta climbed 5.0% as copper prices rose to their highest level in two months, nearing USD14,000 a tonne on the London Metal Exchange...
https://global.morningstar.com/en-gb/news/alliance-news/1785…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The FTSE 100 rose more than 0.5% on Wednesday, climbing to a fresh record above 10,380 after a 0.3% decline in the previous session, driven by energy and mining stocks.
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-kingdom/stock-market/new…

help

Claim 2: “Apple’s share price is down 8% pre-market”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.

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Claim 3: “The oil supermajor’s adjusted earnings rose 67% from the first quarter to $14.7bn in April, May and June”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 4: “The Bank of England yesterday held interest rates steady”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.

info

Claim 5: “That came after a year low below 9,700 points at the worst point of the rout triggered by the attacks on Iran ordered by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While web results confirm US-Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent market volatility, no specific source in the provided evidence confirms the exact 'year low below 9,700 points' figure.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index, also called the FTSE 100 Index, FTSE 100, FTSE or, informally, the "Footsie" , is the United Kingdom's best-known stock market index and represents the 10…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_100_Index

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Financial Times Stock Exchange 250 Index, also called the FTSE 250 Index, FTSE 250, or, informally, the "Footsie 250" , is a stock market index that consists of the 101st to the 350th mid-cap blue…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_250_Index

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The FTSE All-Share Index, originally known as the FTSE Actuaries All Share Index, is a capitalisation-weighted index, comprising around 600 of more than 2,000 companies traded on the London Stock Exch…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_All-Share_Index

+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 6: “The index lost 6.7% in March after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began”

SINGLE SOURCE

Evidence confirms the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and that the FTSE 100 declined as a result, but the specific figure of '6.7% in March' is not corroborated by the provided snippets.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes on Iran, targeting military and nuclear‑linked sites.The FTSE 100’s recent decline reflects rising oil prices and escalating Iran–Isr…
https://meyka.com/blog/ftse-100-falls-as-oil-prices-jump-ami…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Follow the latest news about the US-Israel war with Iran. Get expert analysis, reports from the ground, maps and verified videos from BBC journalists around the world.Energy markets have seen wild swi…
https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cx2jyv8j8gwt

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Iran's reported missile strike on the U.S. military's Al-Tanf base has renewed attention on one of Washington's most strategically important installations in West Asia. Located near the Syria-Iraq-Jor…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_4HmR9buEM

schedule

Claim 7: “HS2 has announced it has renegotiated two of its biggest contracts... with two joint ventures, EKFB and Align”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 8: “The index reached a new record earlier this morning and – barring a significant worsening in the next hour or so – will finish the month up by about 3.5% at around 10,840 points.”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm the FTSE 100 gained 3.5% in July and reached record highs, with one source specifically mentioning the index peaked at 10,989.45, which aligns with the projection of finishing around 10,840.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The FTSE MIB (Milano Indice di Borsa) (the S&P/MIB prior to June 2009) is the benchmark stock market index for the Borsa Italiana, the Italian national stock exchange, which superseded the MIB-30 in …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_MIB

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 9: “Morrisons has revealed losses widened to £926m last year and it cut almost 5,000 jobs”

VERIFIED

A news source explicitly reports that Morrisons' annual pre-tax losses widened to £926 million and nearly 5,000 jobs were cut.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Clan Morrison is a Scottish clan. The Highland Clan Morrison is traditionally associated with the Isle of Lewis and Harris (Leòdhas) around Ness (Nis), Dun Pabbay, and Barvas (Barabhas), lands in Suth…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Morrison

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited, trading as Morrisons, is the fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the company had 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Scotland, a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrisons

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Safeway Limited is a British groceries brand, and former chain of supermarkets and convenience shops. The British Safeway was founded in 1962 by the American Safeway Inc., before being sold to Argyll …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safeway_(UK)

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 10: “The group’s pre-tax profits fell to €995m (£852m) in the last quarter, from €1.5bn (£1.3 bn) in the same period in 2o25.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 11: “the government now hopes will cost £93bn instead of an original £32.7bn”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 12: “Exxon’s share price still fell 2% in pre-market trading”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 13: “Amazon’s share price has jumped 11% in pre-market trading”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence shows Amazon trading up 1.3% in pre-market action, which contradicts the claim of an 11% jump. However, no source confirms an 11% jump.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — to buy at that price, and the ask size is the number of shares offered for sale at that price. The data displayed in the quote bar updates every 3 seconds; allowing you to monitor prices in real-time.
https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/amzn

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Amazon stock traded at $275.17 in premarket action on Monday, edging up 1.3%. Shares remained 1.2% under their 52-week peak. Nasdaq’s main session was yet to begin.
https://ts2.tech/en/amazon-com-inc-nasdaqamzn-shares-edge-to…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Where the world charts, chats, and trades markets. We're a supercharged super-charting platform and social network for traders and investors. Free to sign up.Features. Pricing.
https://www.tradingview.com/

schedule

Claim 14: “Eurozone inflation nudged up from 2.8% to 2.9% in July”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 15: “The Bank of Japan on Friday kept its rates steady at 1%”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 16: “The broader European Stoxx 600 index is up 1.2% this month, after dropping 8% in March.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the Stoxx 600 rose more than 1% in July (specifically 1.1% or 'more than 1%'). While the March 8% drop is not explicitly detailed in the snippets, the July rise is corroborated by multiple reports.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The EURO STOXX 50 is a stock index of Eurozone stocks designed by STOXX, an index provider owned by the Deutsche Börse Group. The index is composed of 50 stocks from countries of the Eurozone. EURO ST…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURO_STOXX_50

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — STOXX Ltd. is a global index provider which covers global markets across various asset classes –developing, maintaining, distributing and marketing a comprehensive global family of strictly rules-base…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOXX

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The STOXX Europe 600, also called STOXX 600, SXXP, is a stock index of European stocks designed by STOXX Ltd. This index has a fixed number of 600 components representing large-, mid- and small-capita…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STOXX_Europe_600

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 17: “the average price of petrol has hit a new Iran War high of 160p a litre having increased more than 9p (9.38p) since falling to a low of 150.59p on 6 July.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 18: “Diesel has now shot up 14.5p since its low point on 9 July to 179p”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 19: “UK petrol prices rise to around £1.60 per litre”

VERIFIED

GlobalPetrolPrices.com explicitly states the current gasoline price in the UK is GBP 1.60 per liter as of August 2026.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — .uk is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United Kingdom. It was first registered in July 1985, seven months after the original generic top-level domains such as .com and the first coun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.uk

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Reform UK, also known as the Reform Party, is a right-wing populist and far-right political party in the United Kingdom. It has seven members of Parliament in the House of Commons, two members of the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_UK

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in northwestern Europe, off the coast of the continental mainland. It compr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 20: “At the year end net debt was £3.2bn, down 46% since Morrisons was bought by private equity firm CD&R in 2022.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 21: “The estimated cost range for the scheme was set out in May as £87.7bn to £102.7bn”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 22: “accounts filed at Companies House show Morrisons reduced staff numbers by 4,912”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 23: “Pre tax losses widened in the year to October 2025 from £612m in the year before as sales rose 3.2% to £15.8bn”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 24: “Core inflation rose by 0.1 percentage points, to 2.5%”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.