UK shares experienced an uptick on Tuesday after the extended weekend, driven by gains in energy and consumer staples sectors in anticipation of U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran exhibited no indication of acquiescing to Trump’s ultimatum that it permit access to the strait by the conclusion of Tuesday, or face significant assaults on its civilian infrastructure, marking a potential escalation in the ongoing conflict.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 index rose 0.1% to 10,444.1 points by 1042, while the midcap FTSE 250 climbed 0.8%.
Trump has set a deadline for Iran to lift its blockade of Gulf oil, which is 8 p.m. in Washington (midnight and 3:30 a.m. in Tehran). Trading in the UK resumes on Tuesday following a prolonged weekend hiatus, during which markets were closed in observance of Good Friday and Easter Monday holidays. The blue-chip index is poised for its fifth consecutive day of gains, momentarily reaching its highest level in more than a month.

Media stocks were among the top gainers, jumping 2.5%; shares of advertising firm WPP climbed 7.4%. Oil and gas climbed 0.7%; shares of giants BP and Shell were up 0.9% and 0.5%, respectively. Consumer staples heavyweights Unilever and British American Tobacco rose 1% each. Both were significant contributors to the FTSE 100’s performance. Aerospace and defence sector experienced a decline of 1.8%, while shares of Rolls-Royce saw a decrease of 2.4%.

A recent survey indicated that firms within Britain’s services sector experienced the most significant month-on-month increase in costs in March since 2021. Later this week, a U.S. inflation reading will capture the attention of investors seeking further insights into the trajectory of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.