The FTSE 100 Index Opens 0.23% Higher

The FTSE 100 Index is picking up 25 points or 0.23 percent on Thursday. Gains are led by Admiral (4.26%), Persimmon (3.21%) and Haleon (2.00%). Biggest losers are Tritax Big Box (-4.46%), Relx (-2.76%) and St. Jamess (-2.20%).

The FTSE 100 rose on Thursday, extending gains for a third consecutive session and hovering near record levels, as investors welcomed signs of progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping. Sentiment improved after Iran said it had reached an agreement with Oman on a proposed shipping route through the strategic waterway, with a joint statement from both countries under review. Among individual stocks, Persimmon jumped around 4% after the housebuilder reported better-than-expected earnings and said it expects to complete 12,500 homes this year, at the upper end of its previous guidance. Barratt Redrow also advanced more than 1%. Elsewhere, BAE Systems gained over 2%, while pharmaceutical heavyweights AstraZeneca and GSK each added around 1%, providing further support to the index. On the downside, precious metal miners and other mining stocks came under pressure, while oil majors traded little changed as crude prices stabilized after recent losses.

The FTSE 100 Index rose 16 points or 0.15 percent on Wednesday to close at 10896 points. Leading the gains are Endeavour (5.34%), NEXT (5.25%) and Fresnillo (4.11%). Top losers were Prudential (-6.58%), HSBC Holdings (-4.56%) and Vodafone (-2.48%).