Water sends FTSE higher

clock

The FTSE 100 is up 50.5 points, or 0.86%, to 5,942.7 in early trading as water stocks rose following takeover speculation.

Water utility AWG has gained 10.79% to £15.09, as the company, which is worth £2.2bn announced it has been approached about a possible takeover offer, although the potential bidder remains unknown. Kelda, the owner of Yorkshire Water, has added 4.3% to 846p to lead the risers, while United Utilities is up 3.6% to 710.5p, and Severn Trent Plc, the second-biggest water utility in the country, has added 3.3% to £13.63. And Aviva Plc, the UK's biggest insurer, has gained 1.4% to 779.5p after saying it plans to cut 11% of its workforce, or 4,000 jobs, to try and reduce costs and increase p...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

How quality investing behaves through the cycle

How quality investing behaves through the cycle

Resilience when it matters more

Joseph Stephens and Laura Neill
clock 14 September 2026 • 4 min read
Why portfolios need to evolve, not revolve when it comes to client outcomes

Why portfolios need to evolve, not revolve when it comes to client outcomes

'As market structures evolve, so must portfolio construction'

Ed Senior
clock 11 September 2026 • 4 min read
What does 'quality' investing actually mean?

What does 'quality' investing actually mean?

Why persistence is the real test

Joseph Stephens and Laura Neill
clock 11 September 2026 • 4 min read