The FTSE 100 Index has been in a strong bull run this year and is now trading at a record high of £9,760. It has jumped by 30% from its lowest point this year.
The index jumped this week as the earnings season continued, with companies such as Shell, Standard Chartered, and Haleon reporting strong financial results. This article explores some of the top FTSE 100 shares to watch next week.
BP
BP will be the first FTSE 100 stock to watch on Monday when it publishes its quarterly results. These numbers come as the stock has rebounded by over 40% from its lowest level this year and is hovering at the highest point since February 18.
BP stock has done well even as energy prices have slumped, with Brent, the global benchmark, trading at $63.8, down by over 20% from its year-to-date high.
Most importantly, the results come as the company has come under pressure from institutional investors, especially Elliot Management, because of its long history of underperformance.
Elliot has pushed for the company to make changes by increasing its focus on fossil fuels.
The results also come after Shell, its top rival, published strong results and announced a new share repurchase program worth about $3.5 billion. It was the 16th consecutive quarter of making at least $3 billion in share repurchases.
Marks and Spencer (MKS)
The Marks and Spend stock price has been in a strong uptrend this year as it jumped by 25% from its lowest point in January.
Marks and Spencer’s performance has mirrored that of other UK retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury, which have jumped despite the country’s economy slowing down.
The most recent results showed that the company’s profit before tax rose by 22% in the last financial year to over £875 million, helped by food sales, which jumped by 8.7%. However, its statutory profit dropped as the company took a non-cash charge of its Ocado investment.
The upcoming results will provide more information about its performance and provide more color on what to expect in the coming months.
BT Group (BT.A)
BT Group share price will be in the spotlight next week as it publishes its financial results. These results come as the stock has pared back some of the recent gains and dropped by 16% from its highest level this year.
BT share price remains up by over 97% from its lowest level in 2024. The upcoming results will provide more color on its performance and its capital expenditure.
The most recent consensus among analysts is that its revenue will come in at £4.9 billion, down by 2.2% from the same period last year. Its consumer business is expected to bring in £2.4 billion, while the business and OpenReach will make £1.5 billion.
AstraZeneca (AZN)
AstraZeneca is another top FTSE 100 Index to watch next week as it publishes its financial results on Thursday.
These numbers come as the stock is doing relatively well, as it jumped by 31% from its lowest level in May and is hovering near its highest level this year.
AstraZeneca has made some notable announcements in the past few months. For example, on Thursday, the company said that Gefurulimab had demonstrated strong improvement in Myasthenia Gravis activities. It has also had several approvals, like Tezspire and Koselugo.
Other FTSE 100 Index share to watch
There will be more FTSE 100 shares to watch in the coming weeks, including IAG, National Grid, Sainsbury’s, and Associated British Foods.
Additionally, the index will react to the upcoming Bank of England interest rate decision. Analysts expect that the bank will leave interest rates unchanged after a recent report showed that inflation remained substantially higher than expected.
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