The FTSE 100 Index has been muted in the past few weeks despite major developments in the UK, including the ongoing political crisis in which Keir Starmer is fighting for his political survival. It also reacted mildly to the recent corporate earnings and Bank of England decision.
This article explores some of the top FTSE Index shares to watch next week, including BT Group, EasyJet, Sage Group, British Land, and Marks and Spencer.
BT Group will be the top FTSE 100 stock to watch
BT Group, the biggest telecom company in the UK, will be the top name to watch next week as it publishes its annual results. These numbers come at a time when the stock has jumped to its highest point since 2018.
The stock’s rally continued after the company published its trading statement. It noted that its Openreach broadband lines would drop by 850k for the year, much better than what analysts were expecting.
At the same time, demand for Openreach FTTP continued rising, with the total premises connected rising to over 8.2 million. The average revenue per user rose by 4% to 16.8 pounds.
Analysts expect the upcoming results to show that its total revenue dropped by about 3% for the full year. It will offset this decline with an increase in profits, helped by its cost cut initiatives.
EasyJet to shed light on its business amid the war
It has been a tough time for low-cost airlines as the soaring costs have made it hard for their operations. For example, analysts blamed the Iran war for exacerbating the Spirit Airlines collapse. Jet fuel prices have soared, and there are warnings of potential shortages.
EasyJet share price has been in a strong freefall, and is now trading at its lowest level since January 2023. It has slumped by over 40% from its highest point in December 2024.
The company will publish its earnings on Thursday next week, providing more color on what to expect as the war continues. It has hinted that it will report a big loss of between 540 million and 560 million pounds for the first half of FY’26.
Sage Group to defend its business amid AI disruption fears
Meanwhile, Sage Group will be in the spotlight next week as it releases its earnings. The accounting software maker will be put to task to defend its business model amid the rising concerns that AI will disrupt its business.
These fears explain why the stock has plunged by 35% from its highest point last year. Other software companies like Intuit have also plunged, a move that accelerated after Anthropic launched several solutions aimed at corporate clients.
Sage and other companies have argued that AI will be a positive catalyst for their businesses. The argument is that its AI tools will improve the productivity of their clients in the long term. Analysts expect its results will show that revenue rose by 10% in the first half to 1.35 billion pounds.
Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer shares have come under pressure in the past few months. It has dropped in the last four consecutive weeks and is now trading at its lowest level in years.
The company will publish its full-year results on May 20th, providing more information about its business and the health of the UK retail sector. Its recent trading statement showed that its food business was doing well, but was being dragged by its fashion, home, and beauty businesses.
The other FTSE 100 shares to watch next week will be British Land, Tesco, AutoTrader Group, Experian, and AJ Bell.
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