Britain’s FTSE 100 rose on Friday, with healthcare and energy-related companies providing the biggest boosts, keeping the blue-chip index on track for its best weekly showing in about a month.
The index increased by 0.3%, reaching 10,891.1 points by 1104, whereas the midcap FTSE 250 experienced a decline of 0.3%.
- Both benchmarks, however, were on track for solid weekly gains, with the FTSE 100 poised for its strongest week since mid-October.
- Aviva opens new tab rose 2.7% to lead FTSE 100 gainers after posting a 19% rise in general insurance premiums for the first nine months of 2026.
- Oil majors BP and Shell gained about 1% each and were among the biggest boosts to the index.
- Healthcare heavyweights AstraZeneca and GSK also nudged higher, offering support to the main index.
- Precious metal miners experience extended losses from the previous session, slipping 0.6% and are set for an over 6% fall for the week, reflecting recent weakness in gold prices.
- Aerospace and defence-related stocks were among the losers, with Rolls-Royce, Weir Group and Babcock International down between 0.9% and 1.6%.
- DFS Furniture opens new tab dropped 4.5% after the sofa retailer warned that the upholstery market had softened further, hit by strained household finances and weaker consumer confidence.
- Investors are poised to scrutinise the upcoming US producer prices report, as it may provide insights into the trajectory of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.
- The domestic data calendar is densely populated next week, featuring anticipated inflation readings alongside a jobs report.
- Following the recent increase in the Bank of England’s primary lending rate, market participants are estimating an over 82% probability of an additional 25-basis-point hike in the upcoming month, as indicated by data gathered by LSEG.
