FTSE 100 Falls 1.6% Over Iran Optimism

FTSE 100 fell 1.6% as investors remained cautious despite President Trump's optimistic comments on a potential US‑Iran deal.
European indices also slipped, with Germany's DAX down 1% and France's CAC 40 down 1.2%, while GBP/USD rose to 1.3611.
UK companies reported mixed results: JD Sports warned profit decline, BAE Systems projected 9‑11% earnings growth, Shell beat earnings but cut buyback.
M&G saw £600 million Q1 net inflows, Hiscox premiums rose 10.2%, and construction activity contracted at the fastest rate in six years.