London's blue-chip index ended the week at 10,552.05 on Friday, up 110.45 points or 1.06%, as investors bought back UK-listed software and data names that had sold off on artificial-intelligence disruption fears. Experian, Sage Group and RELX all traded sharply higher, while telecoms stocks including BT Group, Vodafone and Airtel Africa lagged after a US spectrum transaction revived worries about mobile competition.
The session broke a two-day losing streak that had pushed the FTSE 100 to its weakest level since June. The index opened at 10,441.50, which marked the day's low, and spent the morning in a narrow range before pushing toward the session high of 10,577.33 around lunchtime. Volume on the main board was heavy by recent standards, with more than 787 million shares changing hands.
Winners and losers
Business software and information services led the advance. Sage rose more than 4% on the day, while Experian and RELX gained close to 4% at their peaks. Those stocks have been volatile through 2026 as funds debate whether generative AI will erode incumbents or expand their data moats. Friday's move looked like a relief rally after several sessions of profit-taking rather than a fundamental reassessment of earnings.
On the other side of the ledger, telecoms bore the brunt of a transatlantic sentiment shift. News that SpaceX had agreed to acquire low-band spectrum in the United States, with Starlink Mobile positioned as a future carrier competitor, hit operators globally. BT Group fell more than 2%, Vodafone dropped about 4% and Airtel Africa slid more than 5% in London. Investors treated the deal as a reminder that regulated mobile revenue is not insulated from satellite and fixed-wireless challengers.
Context for Monday's open
With US markets closed for the Columbus Day holiday on Monday, London traders lacked an overnight equity cue from New York. The FTSE 100 finished Friday about 4% below its 52-week high of 10,989.45 and roughly 13.7% above its low of 9,276.91. Year to date the index is up about 6.3% from its 2026 starting level near 9,931.
Technical traders are watching whether support around 10,400 holds after Thursday's test. A sustained break above Friday's high would open a path toward 10,650, while a slip back under 10,450 would suggest the rebound has stalled. Mining names also contributed on the day as oil eased, helping large-cap commodity producers that had weighed on the index earlier in the week.
What holders should watch
UK investors with Isa and pension exposure through FTSE trackers saw a rare broad-based up day after a choppy October start. The split between software winners and telecom losers underscores how sector stories, not just macro data, are driving single-day moves. With third-quarter reporting season approaching for many FTSE constituents, the question is whether Friday's software bounce sticks once company guidance addresses AI spending and pricing power.
For now, the headline number is 10,552.05 — a 1.06% gain led by data and software stocks, with telecoms dragging and London preparing to trade without a US lead at the start of the week.