FTSE 100 shares to watch: Lloyds, NatWest, IHG, LSE, Unilever

The FTSE 100 Index remained under pressure this week as investors reflected on the latest UK macro data, such as GDP, jobs, and industrial and manufacturing production. It retreated to a low of £9,436, down from the all-time high of £9,575. 

This article explores some of the top FTSE 100 shares to watch next week, including Barclays, Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG), London Stock Exchange (LSEG), and Unilever.

UK banks like Lloyd's, Barclays, and NatWest

FTSE 100 Index banks have done well this year, with most of them hovering near their highest level in years. The NatWest share price was trading at 548p on Thursday, a few points below the year-to-date high of 565p.

Lloyds share price was trading at 84.48p, a few points below the year-to-date high of 86.72p, while Barclays was trading at 379p. 

These bank stocks reacted to the earnings season of their peers in the United States, like Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo. Most of these banks reported strong numbers, helped by the resurgent investment banking business.

The three FTSE 100 banks will be in the spotlight as they publish their earnings. Barclays will go first when it publishes its results on October 22. It will be followed by Lloyds on 23rd and NatWest on 24th. HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank will then release their numbers in the following week.

InterContinental Hotels (IHG)

InterContinental Hotels Group, popularly known as IHG, the parent company of brands like Indigo, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, voco, and Six Senses, will be another FTSE 100 Index company to watch as it issues its trading statement on Thursday.

The report comes at a time when the IHG share price has plunged by over 17% from its highest level this year. This retreat happened even as the company continued doing well in the first half of the year.

Its recent results showed that its revenue rose by 6% to $1.17 billion, while its operating profit soared by 13% to $604 million. The company is also returning cash to shareholders, and is on track to pay $1.1 billion this year. Therefore, the upcoming trading statement will provide more color about its business during the third quarter.

London Stock Exchange (LSEG)

The London Stock Exchange will be one of the top FTSE 100 shares to watch next week as it publishes its trading statement. 

This statement comes at a time when the stock is not doing well, with the stock falling by 28% from its highest point this year. Its trading statement also comes after the CEO clarified that it was not for sale even though Euronext has said that it would be willing to buy it.

The most recent earnings showed that the company's revenue rose by 7.8%, with all its divisions like data & analytics, FTSE Russell, risk intelligence, and markets seeing robust growth. It also had strong margins during the year’s first half.

Unilever 

Unilever, the parent company of brands like Dove, Axe, LUX, Vaseline, Knorr, Sunlight, and OMO, has not done well this year as it remained inside the important resistance and support at 4,820p and 4,353p. 

The stock will likely change this when it publishes its financial results, which will show whether its business continued doing well in the last quarter. 

The most recent numbers showed that its turnover dropped by 3.2% in the first half to 30.1 billion euros, with most of the decline happening in its home care business. Foods and personal care revenue also declined during the period.

The other top FTSE 100 shares to watch will be companies like Spirent Communications, Rentokil Initial, RELX, and Aberdeen Group