The FTSE 100 Index Opens 0.39% Higher

The FTSE 100 Index is picking up 42 points or 0.39 percent on Monday. Gains are led by Whitbread (3.08%), Rolls-Royce (2.97%) and Vodafone (2.53%). Biggest losers are Shell (-2.15%) and Rentokil Initial (-0.77%).

The FTSE 100 traded 0.5% higher on Monday to its highest level since early March, although it underperformed other major European indexes as declines in heavyweight energy stocks limited gains. Sentiment improved after the US paused its air campaign against Iran for a second consecutive night, while Tehran refrained from retaliatory strikes and continued discussions with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz. The easing geopolitical tensions pushed Brent crude back to below $91 per barrel, weighing on oil producers. Shell fell by around 2% and BP lost about 3.5%. Elsewhere, gains were broad-based, with HSBC rising 0.5%, Rolls-Royce climbing nearly 2%, Rio Tinto adding 2.2%, Unilever gaining 0.5%, and GSK rising 1.2%. Also, AstraZeneca added 1.5% after reporting second-quarter earnings above expectations and reaffirmed its full-year guidance and 2030 targets.

The FTSE 100 Index gained 99 points or 0.93 percent on Friday to close at 10738 points. Gains were led by Relx (4.94%), The Sage Group (4.44%) and Experian (4.03%). Biggest losers were Airtel Africa (-3.30%), Vodafone (-1.59%) and BP (-1.36%).