The FTSE 100 opened slightly higher and climbed 15.12 points to 10,642.16 after it opened at 10,674. The market advance happened after Brent crude prices reached a six-month high of about $72 per barrel. It creates mixed global market conditions amid escalating US-Iran tensions.
Luxury retailer Burberry climbed 2.81% to £1,207.5 as buying interest returned to the stock. Wealth manager St. James’s Place gained 2.05% to £1,297 and recovered further ground after last week’s volatility.
Utility giant Centrica rose 2.34% to £190.25, while Games Workshop advanced 1.88% to £17,370p. Mining heavyweight Antofagasta added 1.83% to £3,946 as investors digested stronger commodity sentiment.
Drinks major Diageo was also up by 1.77% to £1,813 and contributed to the index’s upward bias.
On the downside BP slipped 1.03% to £474.05 despite higher oil prices.
DCC fell 0.96% to £5,150 while warehouse REIT Segro declined 0.88% to £791.20. Defence contractor BAE Systems eased 0.74% to £2,147.
Whitbread and Ashtead Group posted slight losses of 0.22% and 0.31,% respectively.
Mining giant Anglo American saw its copper and iron business thrive but the diamond sector faced pressure amid its merger with Teck.
The group reported $4 billion in pre-tax profits. Its debt dropped to $8.6 billion, down from $10.6 billion. It aided by the sale of platinum shares.
The group also delivered $1.8 billion in run-rate cost savings. Chief executive officer Duncan Wanblad describes the financial year as a transformational year for Anglo American as it is on course to create ‘Anglo Teck’.
Aston Martin announced a £50 million cash sale of its Formula 1 naming rights to AMR GP. Earlier the name was Racing Point UK.
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holding’s trading update revealed a drop in sales and it is down from 6,030 in 2024 to 5,448 last year.
The group revealed a challenging trading environment because of US tariffs and said the £50 million deal will boost its stability.
Also Read: Stock Market Today: Sensex Up 600 Points, Nifty at 25,603; Novartis India Surges 18%, Crude Near $71
UK public finances posted a record January surplus of £30.4 billion. It is the highest since records started in 1993.
Retail sales volumes are up 1.8% month-on-month. It far exceeds forecasts and is the strongest increase since May 2024.
Cumulative borrowing for the first ten months of 2025/26 is now at £112.1 billion. This is £14.6 billion below last year’s level.
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