Investing.com – U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Life Insurance/Assurance, Industrial Engineering and Automobiles & Parts sectors led shares higher.
At the close in London, the FTSE 100 rose 0.61% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the FTSE 100 were Friends Life Group Ltd (LONDON:FLG), which rose 7.07% or 28.70 points to trade at 434.90 at the close. Meanwhile, Aviva Plc (LONDON:AV) added 7.05% or 37.50 points to end at 569.50 and Schroders (LONDON:SDR) was up 4.75% or 144.00 points to 3178.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Rio Tinto (LONDON:RIO), which fell 2.88% or 88.50 points to trade at 2985.00 at the close. HSBC Holdings Plc (LONDON:HSBA) declined 2.65% or 15.50 points to end at 570.60 and International Airlines Group (LONDON:ICAG) was down 1.32% or 7.50 points to 562.00.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1356 to 664 and 410 ended unchanged.
Shares in Friends Life Group Ltd (LONDON:FLG) rose to all time highs; rising 7.07% or 28.70 to 434.90. Shares in Aviva Plc (LONDON:AV) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 7.05% or 37.50 to 569.50. Shares in HSBC Holdings Plc (LONDON:HSBA) fell to 52-week lows; falling 2.65% or 15.50 to 570.60. Shares in Schroders (LONDON:SDR) rose to all time highs; rising 4.75% or 144.00 to 3178.00.
Gold for April delivery was down 0.04% or 0.50 to $1200.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in April fell 0.58% or 0.30 to hit $51.23 a barrel, while the April Brent Oil contract rose 0.24% or 0.14 to trade at $60.70 a barrel.
GBP/USD was down 0.28% to 1.5221, while EUR/GBP fell 0.43% to 0.7226.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.60% at 96.55.