FTSE 100 hits one-week high on banks, mining boost

Published 02/26/2025, 06:18 AM
Updated 02/26/2025, 12:19 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: People walk through the lobby of the London Stock Exchange in London, Britain August 25, 2015.  REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/File photo

(Reuters) -Britain's FTSE 100 touched one-week highs on Wednesday, led by gains in banks and mining stocks, while luxury retailer Burberry (LON:BRBY) boosted the midcap index following a rating upgrade.

The blue-chip FTSE 100 rose 0.7% to its highest since February 19.

Banks were the biggest boost to the index, with mortgage lender Lloyds (LON:LLOY) gaining 4.6% after at least two brokerages raised their price target on the stock.

Metro Bank rose 4.3% after the lender said it had signed an agreement to sell a portfolio of about 584 million pounds ($739 million) of unsecured personal loans.

UK-listed miners advanced, tracking copper prices, after U.S. President Donald Trump moved closer to imposing tariffs on copper imports, while a power outage in top producer Chile also supported the wider market. [MET/L]

Glencore (OTC:GLNCY) gained 2%, Anglo American (JO:AGLJ) rose 3.5% and Antofagasta (LON:ANTO) was up 3.6%.

ConvaTec Group gained 4.9% after the medical equipment maker reported higher annual profit.

Global stocks rebounded, with European shares touching a record high, after reports that the U.S. and Ukraine agreed on terms of a draft minerals deal.

Investors are awaiting artificial intelligence chip bellwether Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)'s results later in the day to see if sky-high valuations in the technology sector are justified.

The midcap FTSE 250 also gained 0.7%.

Burberry rose 7.8% after brokerage Kepler Cheuvreux raised the luxury retailer's rating to "buy" from "hold" and said it expects a slow recovery for the sector in the second half of the year.

Pets at Home surged 7.7% to a three-month high on takeover speculation.

On the flip side, Aston Martin (LON:AML) plunged 12% after the luxury automaker announced a second delay in launching its first battery electric vehicle and said it plans to reduce its global workforce by 5%.

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