The FTSE 100 Index Closes 1.03% Higher

The FTSE 100 Index gained 110 points or 1.03 percent on Thursday to close at 10835 points. Gains were led by Experian (5.14%), The Sage Group (4.85%) and BT (4.21%).

The FTSE 100 climbed 1% to 10,840 on Thursday, its highest level since August 26, as defensive stocks helped London outperform global markets unsettled by concerns over the artificial intelligence sector. Better-than-expected UK economic data also supported sentiment, with GDP expanding 0.1% in August after a 0.4% increase in July, defying forecasts of a contraction. The index’s limited exposure to technology shares provided an additional advantage. Pharmaceutical stocks led the advance, with AstraZeneca gaining more than 3% amid a collaboration with biotech startup Insitro to develop treatments for liver and heart diseases. GSK rose nearly 3%, while Unilever added over 1.5% and British American Tobacco advanced more than 2%. Mining shares moved in the opposite direction, with Antofagasta falling 3.8% after missing third-quarter copper production estimates and cutting its 2027 outlook, while Rio Tinto lost 1.7% and Anglo American also declined.

GB100 increased to 10821.00 Index Points, the highest since September 2026. Over the past 4 weeks, United Kingdom Stock Market Index (GB100) gained 1.23%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 14.67%.