Investing.com – U.K. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Industrial Metals & Mining, Aerospace & Defense and Tobacco sectors led shares higher.
At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 rose 0.18% to hit a new all time high.
The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were EasyJet PLC (LON:EZJ), which rose 3.89% or 57.50 points to trade at 1536.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Anglo American PLC (LON:AAL) added 3.56% or 60.60 points to end at 1761.00 and Bunzl PLC (LON:BNZL) was up 2.24% or 45.00 points to 2050.00 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LON:MKS), which fell 7.04% or 22.80 points to trade at 301.20 at the close. Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO) declined 4.53% or 9.60 points to end at 202.30 and Barratt Developments PLC (LON:BDEV) was down 2.71% or 17.20 points to 617.00.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the London Stock Exchange by 1016 to 1011 and 138 ended unchanged.
Shares in EasyJet PLC (LON:EZJ) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 3.89% or 57.50 to 1536.50. Shares in Anglo American PLC (LON:AAL) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 3.56% or 60.60 to 1761.00.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.27% or 3.50 to $1322.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 1.59% or 1.01 to hit $64.58 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.84% or 0.58 to trade at $69.78 a barrel.
GBP/USD was up 0.24% to 1.3540, while EUR/GBP rose 0.50% to 0.8890.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.51% at 91.64.