India, Dec. 30 -- London's stock market opened the final trading week of 2025 on a cautious note. The FTSE 100 edged lower as fresh optimism about a possible Ukraine ceasefire dampened investor appetite for defence stocks. Trading volumes remained exceptionally thin following the Christmas break. The blue-chip index slipped to 9,874.96 points by mid-morning on Monday. This modest decline followed U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion of significant progress in peace negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The announcement triggered an immediate selloff across UK and European defence companies.

Defence Stocks Lead Market Decline Major British defence contractors bore the brunt of Monday's losses. Babcock Internationa...