The FTSE 100 index has shown a positive trend, rising by 0.61% today and gaining 1.15% over the past five days. Over the last 30 days, the index has increased by 4.91%, indicating a sustained upward momentum.
In the large-cap segment, Next Plc emerged as the top performer with a return of 8.77%, while RELX Plc lagged behind with a decline of 2.92%. The mid-cap sector saw Beazley Plc leading with a return of 3.09%, whereas Rightmove Plc faced a downturn of 2.69%. In the small-cap category, Ceres Power Holdings plc excelled with a remarkable return of 14.19%, while Auction Technology Group Plc struggled, posting a loss of 6.0%.

The overall market's advance-decline ratio reflects a challenging environment, with 172 stocks advancing against 259 declining, resulting in a ratio of 0.66. Specifically, large-cap stocks had 20 advancing and 35 declining (0.57 ratio), mid-cap stocks recorded 25 advancing and 43 declining (0.58 ratio), and small-cap stocks showed 87 advancing versus 151 declining (0.58 ratio).

As the market continues to navigate these trends, investors will be keenly watching upcoming earnings reports from major companies, including Standard Chartered and Shell, scheduled for later this month.