Market close overview
U.K. stocks finished the trading day in positive territory, with the benchmark Investing.com United Kingdom 100 rising 0.60% at the London close. Sector strength was concentrated in Healthcare Equipment & Services, Banking and Beverage, which underpinned the session's gains.
Top performers
- Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LON:LLOY) led the index's winners, jumping 3.32% - a rise of 3.50 points - to close at 108.95. The stock hit a five-year high in the session.
- Smith & Nephew PLC (LON:SN) advanced 2.35%, adding 28.50 points to finish at 1,242.00.
- Experian PLC (LON:EXPN) rose 2.34%, up 63.00 points to close at 2,758.00.
Heaviest declines
- Airtel Africa Plc (LON:AAF) was the session's weakest performer, sliding 6.61% - a fall of 22.60 points - to end at 319.20.
- Fresnillo PLC (LON:FRES) fell 5.08%, losing 198.00 points to close at 3,702.00.
- Antofagasta PLC (LON:ANTO) declined 3.65%, down 138.00 points to 3,648.00.
Market breadth and notable moves
On the London Stock Exchange, more stocks advanced than fell: 933 issues rose, 844 declined and 530 finished unchanged. Lloyds's move to a five-year high was a standout feature of the session.
Commodities and energy
Commodities traded unevenly. Gold Futures for April delivery registered a steep drop, down 7.22% or 386.85 to $4,967.95 a troy ounce. By contrast, crude oil pushed higher: March delivery crude rose 0.50% or 0.33 to $65.75 a barrel, while the April Brent contract increased 0.43% or 0.30 to trade at $69.89 a barrel.
Foreign exchange and dollar strength
In FX markets, GBP/USD moved lower by 0.65% to 1.37. EUR/GBP was reported as unchanged at 0.87, with a movement shown as 0.10%. The US Dollar Index Futures strengthened, up 0.64% at 96.75.
Outlook note
The session ended with a positive tone for the main U.K. index, supported by gains in banking and healthcare names, while some mining and resource stocks weighed on the market. Commodity price swings and currency moves were notable features that could continue to influence sector performance in the near term.