中東緊張局勢和前景黯淡，富時 100 指數經歷了動盪的一周

由於地緣政治緊張局勢不斷升級以及提前降息的希望逐漸減弱，富時 100 指數經歷了自 1 月以來最糟糕的一周。最初的拋售是由以色列隔夜襲擊伊朗引發的，但在交易結束時基本逆轉。然而，該指數本週仍下跌 1.25%，富時 250 指數也出現類似跌幅。

FTSE 100 Endures Tumultuous Week Amidst Escalating Middle East Tensions and Dimming Economic Outlook

中東緊張局勢升級和經濟前景黯淡，富時 100 指數經歷了動盪的一周

London's leading stock market, the FTSE 100, has endured its worst week since January, tumbling amidst renewed geopolitical jitters surrounding the Middle East conflict and waning hopes for imminent interest rate cuts.

倫敦主要股市富時 100 指數經歷了自 1 月以來最糟糕的一周，中東衝突引發的地緣政治緊張情緒再次出現，以及對即將降息的希望逐漸減弱，該指數暴跌。

Market Jitters Fueled by Middle East Turmoil

中東動盪加劇市場不安

The FTSE initially plummeted due to concerns over Israel's overnight strike on Iran in retaliation for Tehran's drone and missile attacks last week. These concerns overshadowed positive corporate earnings reports and stoked fears of broader regional instability.

由於擔心以色列對伊朗進行夜間襲擊以報復德黑蘭上週的無人機和飛彈襲擊，富時指數最初暴跌。這些擔憂掩蓋了積極的企業獲利報告，並引發了人們對更廣泛的地區不穩定的擔憂。

By the end of the session, the FTSE had recouped most of its losses, ending up 0.2% or 18.8 points at 7895.85. However, it remained down 1.25% over the course of the week as geopolitical tensions continued to weigh on investor sentiment.

截至收盤，富時指數已收復大部分失地，最終上漲 0.2%，即 18.8 點，報 7895.85 點。然而，由於地緣政治緊張局勢繼續打壓投資者情緒，本週該指數仍下跌 1.25%。

Economic Outlook Dampens Market Optimism

經濟前景削弱市場樂觀情緒

In addition to geopolitical concerns, fading hopes for early interest rate cuts by the Bank of England have further dampened market optimism. The central bank's Monetary Policy Committee recently indicated a more cautious stance, citing rising inflation and uncertainty surrounding the economic recovery.

除了地緣政治擔憂之外，英國央行提前降息的希望越來越渺茫，進一步打擊了市場的樂觀。央行貨幣政策委員會最近表示更謹慎的立場，理由是通膨上升和經濟復甦的不確定性。

Mid-Cap Stocks Suffer Losses

中型股遭受損失

The FTSE 250 index of mid-cap stocks also suffered losses, declining 0.3% or 59.37 points to 19391.3. This decline mirrors the broader market sentiment, as investors adopt a more defensive posture amidst uncertain market conditions.

富時250中型股指數也遭受損失，下跌0.3%或59.37點，至19,391.3點。這種下跌反映了更廣泛的市場情緒，因為投資者在不確定的市場條件下採取了更具防禦性的姿態。

Commodities Surge, Gold and Oil Pare Gains

大宗商品價格飆升，黃金和石油價格下跌

The geopolitical turmoil initially sent commodity prices soaring, with gold rising over $2,400 per ounce, close to record highs. Oil prices also climbed, with Brent crude topping $90 early in the session.

地緣政治動盪最初導致大宗商品價格飆升，金價升至每盎司2400美元以上，接近歷史高點。油價也上漲，布蘭特原油早盤突破 90 美元。

However, both gold and oil pared their gains later in the day as Iran downplayed the impact of the attacks. This suggests that investors may be skeptical about the escalation of tensions and its potential impact on global supply chains.

然而，由於伊朗淡化了襲擊的影響，黃金和石油在當天晚些時候都回吐了漲幅。這表明投資者可能對緊張局勢升級及其對全球供應鏈的潛在影響持懷疑態度。

Gold Miners Slide, Oil Majors Advance

金礦股下滑，石油巨頭上漲

Gold producer stocks declined, with Centamin and Fresnillo experiencing losses. In contrast, oil majors BP and Shell gained as investors anticipate increased demand for energy due to the Middle East conflict.

黃金生產商股票下跌，Centamin 和 Fresnillo 遭受損失。相較之下，石油巨頭英國石油公司和殼牌公司上漲，因為投資者預期中東衝突導致能源需求增加。

Bitcoin Rallies Ahead of Halving Event

比特幣在減半事件之前反彈

The price of Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency, rose nearly 2% to around $65,000 (£52,000) ahead of the digital coin's "halving" event taking place over the weekend. This event, which occurs approximately every four years, reduces the rewards for mining Bitcoin by half, potentially increasing its value.

在周末比特幣「減半」事件發生之前，全球最大的加密貨幣比特幣的價格上漲了近 2%，至 65,000 美元（52,000 英鎊）左右。這事件大約每四年發生一次，使開採比特幣的獎勵減少一半，可能增加其價值。

Wall Street's Netflix Shares Fall Despite Strong Subscriber Growth

儘管用戶成長強勁，華爾街 Netflix 股價仍下跌

On Wall Street, Netflix shares fell despite the world's largest streaming service reporting impressive subscriber growth of 9.33 million paying customers between January and March. This decline suggests that investors may be concerned about the company's long-term prospects in an increasingly competitive streaming market.

在華爾街，儘管全球最大的串流媒體服務公司 Netflix 的股價在 1 月至 3 月期間付費用戶成長了 933 萬，令人印象深刻。這種下降表明投資者可能擔心該公司在競爭日益激烈的串流媒體市場中的長期前景。

Sluggish Retail Sales Drag Down London Market

零售銷售疲軟拖累倫敦市場

In London, sluggish retail sales weighed on the industry. Discount retailer B&M, JD Sports, and High Street stalwart Marks & Spencer all experienced share price declines. This aligns with concerns about consumer spending amid rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

在倫敦，零售銷售疲軟對該行業造成壓力。折扣零售商 B&M、JD Sports 和高街巨頭 Marks & Spencer 的股價均出現下跌。這與通膨上升和生活成本危機中消費者支出的擔憂一致。

Banks Expected to Bounce Back

銀行有望反彈

Despite the overall market weakness, broker Peel Hunt expressed optimism about three of Britain's major banks: Barclays, NatWest, and Lloyds. The firm expects these banks to return nearly £30 billion to shareholders over the next three years as the economy improves.

儘管市場整體疲軟，經紀人皮爾亨特仍對英國三大銀行巴克萊銀行、國民威斯敏斯特銀行和勞埃德銀行表示樂觀。該公司預計，隨著經濟好轉，這些銀行將在未來三年內向股東回報近 300 億英鎊。

Cybersecurity Firm Darktrace on the Rise

網路安全公司 Darktrace 崛起

Darktrace was among the few bright spots in the market, with its stock rising 3.9% after analysts at Bank of America upgraded their rating on the cybersecurity firm. This reflects the increasing demand for cybersecurity solutions in a world increasingly reliant on digital technologies.

Darktrace 是市場上為數不多的亮點之一，在美國銀行分析師上調了對該網路安全公司的評級後，其股價上漲了 3.9%。這反映出在日益依賴數位技術的世界中對網路安全解決方案的需求不斷增長。