The FTSE 100 Index Closes 0.75% Higher

The FTSE 100 Index rose 81 points or 0.75 percent on Friday to close at 10928 points. Leading the gains are London Stock Exchange (5.29%), Diageo (4.84%) and Rightmove (4.73%). Top losers were Melrose (-12.70%), International Airlines Group (-6.98%) and Barclays (-4.71%).

The FTSE 100 climbed 0.7% to around 10,923 on Friday, marking a fresh record and capping an eighth straight monthly gain, its strongest run since 2013 and best month since 2022 with a rise of about 6.8%. Drugmakers AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline advanced 2.6% and 1.3%, while energy giants Shell and BP added as crude posted a second monthly gain. Firms linked to AI themes rallied, including London Stock Exchange Group (5.3%), RELX (1.6%), Rightmove (4.7%), Pearson (1.4%) and Experian (0.5%). Rightmove reported higher revenue and launched a buyback. Consumer names Unilever and British American Tobacco also rose, alongside Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems. Banks such as HSBC Holdings, Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group declined, while Melrose Industries slumped almost 13% on cautious guidance. Data from GfK showed weaker consumer confidence, and a by-election win by the Green Party of England and Wales added pressure on Keir Starmer’s government.

The FTSE 100 rose 0.4% to around 10,890 on Friday, extending a strong monthly rally of roughly 6.5% and marking another record high. Gains were led by mining stocks, with Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Glencore advancing on firmer metals prices, while precious metals producers Fresnillo and Endeavour Mining also climbed. Rightmove jumped about 6% after reporting higher revenue and launching a buyback, while International Airlines Group gained on a positive outlook and a €1.5 billion repurchase plan. In contrast, Melrose Industries fell sharply on cautious guidance. Separate data from GfK showed UK consumer confidence dipped, while a by-election win by the Green Party of England and Wales highlighted political pressure on Keir Starmer’s Labour government.