Shares of AB Foods, the parent company of Primark, experienced a 2% decline, settling at 1,894.5 pence, positioning the stock as one of the top losers on the FTSE 100 index, which concurrently faced a 0.8% decrease. AB Foods has revised its 2025 sales forecast for its budget clothing business, Primark, lowering the outlook to “low-single digit” growth from the previous projection of “mid-single digit” growth. The company reported a 1.9% decline in underlying sales for Primark in the first quarter of the year.

CMC Markets Plc witnessed a significant decline, with shares dropping by as much as 10.2% to 238p, leading as the top percentage loser on the FTSE 250 index. In a concise trading statement, the British trading platform affirmed its progress towards achieving the annual net operating income as previously outlined, expressing confidence in meeting its cost forecast. Shore Capital analyst Vivek Raja noted in a report that due to the recent strength in the share price, market expectations were higher, anticipating a more positive trading update from CMC Markets Plc. Moreover, there was a keen interest in updates on the progress of its collaboration with Revolut, which remains a focal point for investors. Despite the recent setback, the stock had shown remarkable performance, surging by 136% in 2024 and registering approximately 7% growth month-to-date as of the previous trading session’s close. The fluctuating market response underscores the delicate balance between investor expectations, company performance, and strategic partnerships within the trading platform industry.

JD Sports, the British sportswear retailer, observed a 2.3% decline in its shares, reaching 81.1p, marking it as the leading percentage loser on the FTSE 100 index. Citi made significant adjustments by lowering the price target to 95p from 150p and downgrading the stock from ‘Buy’ to ‘Neutral’. This decision followed a subdued peak trading report and a reduction in the annual profit forecast, prompting Citi to revise its estimates for the company. Highlighted in Citi’s assessment is the expectation that JD Sports will maintain a high level of pricing discipline, potentially impacting its revenue growth. The brokerage anticipates a revenue decrease of 1.1% to 4.4% for FY25/FY26. Moreover, challenging market conditions are projected to hinder JD’s store growth targets’ progress, falling short of initial expectations. The broader market mood was reflected in the performance of JD’s European counterpart, Puma, which experienced a 15% drop post-reporting a sales and profit miss in Q4. Amidst these updates, JD Sports has seen a 15% decline year-to-date, indicating the hurdles faced by the company within the competitive retail landscape and the evolving market dynamics..