The FTSE Finish Line – July 25 – 2023

The FTSE Finish Line – July 25 – 2023FTSE Miners Shine Again, Fundamental Show Glimmer Of HopeUK's FTSE 100 has notched up a modest gain on the trading day, driven by mining stocks following Beijing's pledge to provide more policy support to the Chinese economy. Meanwhile, consumer staples major Unilever saw a significant jump in its stock price after beating quarterly sales estimates. The FTSE 250 midcap index, which focuses more on domestic companies, experienced a minor decline. Unilever's positive performance was boosted by better-than-expected second-quarter underlying sales growth. The company was able to achieve this growth by raising prices on products like Dove soap and Ben & Jerry's ice cream to offset higher costs. Industrial metal miners also contributed to the FTSE 100's gains, as they tracked a rally in base metal prices. The rally was supported by China's commitment to economic policy adjustments that focus on expanding domestic demand, boosting confidence, and managing risks. On the negative side of the ledger, Auto Trader Group faced a setback after JP Morgan downgraded its stock from "neutral" to "underweight," leading to a decline in its share price.On the fundamental front the latest report from the CBI on the UK manufacturing industry provides some better news amid the challenges it has been facing. Manufacturing orders declined in July, but at the slowest rate seen this year, which indicates a potential improvement in the sector. The monthly balance of new orders improved to -9 from -15 in June, reaching the highest level since December. This suggests that the recent declines in output may have reached a bottom, and manufacturers are expecting a pickup in production over the next quarter. One positive development for consumers is that expectations for increases in selling prices have cooled down further, indicating a potential relief from inflationary pressures. Business sentiment also improved, with bosses feeling more optimistic about their export prospects. However, there was a slight weakening in investment intentions for the year ahead, which may warrant further attention as businesses assess their future plans. Overall, the report suggests some signs of stabilisation and improvement in the manufacturing sector, but challenges remain, particularly in terms of investment intentions and uncertainties surrounding global economic conditions.FTSE Intraday Bullish Above Bearish below 7550Below 7490 opens 7380Primary support  is 7400Primary objective 770020 Day VWAP bearish, 5 Day VWAP bullish