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British equities began the new week of trading slightly higher, with the FTSE 100 ending 0.16% in the green on Monday.
Property company British Land (BLND.L) was the blue-chip index’s biggest loser at 3.83% in the red after Chief Executive Officer Simon Carter handed in his 12-month notice to take up the same position at logistics property developer P3 Logistics Parks.
Meanwhile, Barclays (BARC.L) was down 2.44% and among the worst performers during the session after US President Donald Trump called for a cap on credit card interest rates at 10%.
“Trump’s proposed 10% interest rate cap would severely impact Barclays’ U.S. Consumer Bank by slashing net interest income and forcing an exit from riskier ‘Partner Card’ portfolios,” said AlphaValue/Baader Europe. “To maintain profitability, Barclays would likely cut credit limits and reduce popular reward perks. While this threatens Barclays’ 2026 [return on tangible equity] targets, the overall group impact is limited, as the U.S. card business represents less than 4% of its total market capitalisation.”
On the economic front, this week’s calendar will feature the British Retail Consortium’s retail sales monitor for December on Tuesday, followed by the December RICS house price balance and November gross domestic product, production, and trade balance reports on Thursday.
Deutsche Bank Research said traders will be closely watching the UK GDP data for signs of stabilization amid a “soft recent growth narrative.” Meanwhile, BofA Global Research expects zero growth in monthly GDP in November 2025, ahead of two interest rate cuts in 2026.
