Investing.com – U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Construction & Materials, Electronic & Electrical Equipment and Pharmaceuticals & Biotech sectors led shares higher.
At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 added 0.24%.
The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were Direct Line Insurance Group PLC (LON:DLGD), which rose 2.84% or 9.90 points to trade at 358.30 at the close. Meanwhile, Antofagasta PLC (LON:ANTO) added 2.57% or 18.00 points to end at 719.00 and Ashtead Group PLC (LON:AHT) was up 2.47% or 36.00 points to 1496.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were National Grid PLC (LON:NG), which fell 2.34% or 21.80 points to trade at 909.90 at the close. EasyJet PLC (LON:EZJ) declined 2.29% or 24.000 points to end at 1022.000 and International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. (LON:ICAG) was down 2.24% or 10.10 points to 440.50.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1113 to 1090 and 447 ended unchanged.
Shares in Antofagasta PLC (LON:ANTO) rose to 52-week highs; up 2.57% or 18.00 to 719.00. Shares in Ashtead Group PLC (LON:AHT) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.47% or 36.00 to 1496.00.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.33% or 3.90 to $1183.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to hit $47.94 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 0.10% or 0.05 to trade at $48.90 a barrel.
GBP/USD was up 0.07% to 1.2448, while EUR/GBP fell 0.07% to 0.8483.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.01% at 101.72.