U.K. Stocks Rise at Market Close; United Kingdom 100 Gains 0.46%

U.K. stocks experienced an upward trend following the market close on Friday, driven by gains in various sectors.

By the end of trading in London, the index increased by 0.46%.

Leading the session’s gains were Croda International PLC, which saw a rise of 3.30% or 138 points to close at 4,321.00. Additionally, Smith & Nephew PLC added 2.96% or 33.50 points, finishing at 1,165.00. Prudential PLC also climbed by 2.70% or 18.40 points, reaching a closing price of 700.00.

On the downside, Flutter Entertainment PLC faced a decline of 4.02% or 745 points, ending at 17,800.00. Next PLC dropped by 3.55% or 358 points, closing at 9,742.00, while Fresnillo PLC was down by 2.44% or 15.50 points to finish at 621.00.

The London Stock Exchange showed a positive breadth, with 1,132 stocks rising compared to 658 that fell, while 672 remained unchanged.

In commodity markets, gold futures for December delivery fell by 0.86% or 23.10, trading at $2,671.80 per troy ounce. Meanwhile, crude oil for November delivery increased by 1.09% or 0.74, reaching $68.41 per barrel, and the December Brent oil contract rose by 0.89% or 0.63, trading at $71.72 per barrel.

In currency markets, the GBP/USD pair remained stable, changing by 0.20% to 1.34, while EUR/GBP was nearly unchanged at 0.83.

The U.S. Dollar Index futures experienced a slight decline of 0.04%, settling at 100.20.