Investors decide it’s time to buy these FTSE 100 stocks

Rolls-Royce Holdings (LSE:RR.) shares back at levels seen before February’s beat-and-raise results and a three-year low for BP (LSE:BP.), have tempted investors during today’s much-improved FTSE 100 performance.

The hunt for potential bargains in the wake of three brutal sessions since 3 April that left more than half of blue-chip valuations down at least 10%, also focused on Legal & General Group (LSE:LGEN), Glencore (LSE:GLEN) and Scottish Mortgage Ord (LSE:SMT) Investment Trust.

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But the recovery was far from broad based as companies with the greatest exposure to a US-China trade war stayed on the FTSE 100 fallers board. These included the lenders Standard Chartered (LSE:STAN) and HSBC Holdings (LSE:HSBA), having slumped 19% and 16% up until Monday night.

BP, which lost almost a fifth of its value as the worst-performing FTSE 100 stock during the market turmoil, improved today but is still available for the same price as in early 2022.

Down by 30% since last April, the valuation drew strong interest from interactive investor customers as the second most-bought stock on our platform during the market rout.

Source: TradingView. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.

The most popular was Legal & General as income investors took the opportunity to pick up the financial services giant, which now boats a dividend yield of 10%, for a price 12% cheaper than on Wednesday.

10 most-bought UK stocks on the ii platform during the crash

*purchases on the three trading days 3-7 April

The dividend appeal of Aviva (LSE:AV.) and M&G Ordinary Shares (LSE:MNG) also ensured they made the most-bought list, having fallen 12% and 13.5% respectively.

Retail investors also targeted those shares that had been performing strongly before the trade-war volatility sent their valuations tumbling.

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They included Barclays (LSE:BARC), which is back at November levels after an 18.5% slide since Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs fuelled US recession fears. A third of the company’s 2024 total income came from the Americas, including through US credit card lending.

Barclays and other major London-listed banks have suffered on speculation that the era of high interest rates that have supported margins is coming to a quicker-than-expected end.

The support of UK’s baseline tariff of 10% meant the shares of Lloyds Banking Group (LSE:LLOY) and NatWest Group (LSE:NWG)were more resilient than international peers, although they still fell 12% and 10.5% over the three days.

At a two-month low, Lloyds carried more appeal for interactive investor customers despite NatWest being available at January prices.

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• ii view: Rolls-Royce shares maintain altitude near record high

Rolls-Royce opened today’s session at 635.8p, which is broadly in line with where it was before chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic set out enhanced mid-term targets for operating profit and cash flow alongside strong annual results.

The presentation, which included a surprise £1 billion buyback of shares, sent shares as high as 818p by mid-March.

Those who viewed the decline in recent sessions as an opportunity to top up or take a new position were encouraged today when Rolls topped the list of FTSE 100 risers.

Source: TradingView. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.

It was closely followed by another of 2024’s top performers after British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (LSE:IAG) added back 12.9p to 237.3p.

In contrast to last night’s year-to-date rise for Rolls of 17%, the airline group’s shares are a fifth cheaper this year due to concerns over the demand outlook on North Atlantic routes.

BAE Systems (LSE:BA.) completed the familiar appearance to the leading positions of today’s FTSE 100 risers board, even though its shares have held much of their value during the turmoil.

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It is back within sight of last month’s record high, having risen 11% since Monday morning.

The opportunity to buy mining stocks Glencore (LSE:GLEN) and Rio Tinto Ordinary Shares (LSE:RIO) at prices equivalent to levels seen in 2020-21 also put the pair in the sights of ii customers.

They were joined on Friday by Glencore finance director Steven Kalmin and the company’s long-serving board member Martin Gilbert after they disclosed insider purchases.

Fears that weaker China demand will further delay the recovery of coal prices was one factor as Glencore fell 19%, making it the worst-performing mining stock during the three-day slump. The shares rallied 7.15p to 237.2p in today’s session.