London stocks ticked slightly higher at the open on Tuesday as the markets reacted to the prospect of interest rates staying high for longer.
Wages in the UK grew at a faster-than-expected pace of 5.9% in the three months to April, according to the Office of National Statistics, knocking hopes that the Bank of England would begin slashing interest rates this summer. When accounting for inflation, wages rose by 2.7% between February and April, marking the single largest three-month jump since September 2021 and the highest since 2015 when excluding the pandemic.
Bank of England economists have previously said wage growth must not threaten inflation and should be rising modestly before they can feel confident about cutting borrowing rates.
Meanwhile, in company news, Raspberry Pi confirmed it would be listing at 280p a share, the top end of its pricing guidance. It means the DIY computer kit maker will raise around £166 million and have a market cap of £540 million.
While Raspberry Pi limbers up for a listing, the LSE suffered a fresh blow after reports said the owner of pharmacy chain Boots would no longer be pursuing a London listing for the retailer.
Finally, shares in FirstGroup, the rail and bus operator, plunged more than 4% after it suffered a £24 million loss in 2024, having been faced with a £146 impairment charge for exiting two pension schemes.