London close: Miners propel FTSE 100 higher as industrial metals surge
London equities ended Tuesday on a sharply higher note with major miners storming ahead in tandem with soaring industrial metals prices, and followed by a string of banks and insurers.
US interest rate-touch utilities were firmly higher, too.
FTSE 100 closed the session up 0.62% to 6,819.72. In the US, the Dow Jones, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite were all racing ahead.
While Comex-listed gold was down, London Metals Exchange-quoted three-month industrial metals zinc and aluminum rose about 1.6%, with copper up more than 2% and tin up over 3%.
This translated into confidence-driven gains in metals diggers, with Anglo American, Glencore and BHP Billiton figuring at the top of the risers' ladder.
Utilities such as Centrica, SSE and further back United Utilities were notably firmer, too. The market is pricing in a US interest rate hike in December, and is also expecting cartel OPEC to cap production when it meets in Vienna on 30 November.
Oil prices have suffered from volatility in the face of a chronic crude glut, but Tuesday's hopes nonetheless boosted the shares of both Royal Dutch Shell and BP. Both were well behind miners.
FXTM Research analyst Lukman Otunuga cautioned that investors should "remain diligent as OPEC could be exploiting oil's sensitivity" to create speculative boosts in prices.
"With the lingering oversupply anxieties and fears of slowing demand still weighing on sentiment, upside gains on oil could be capped moving forward," Otunuga said.
"OPEC may be playing a dangerous game if investors are left disappointed with another 'Doha failure' potentially deepening the oversupply woes in 2017."
Positive economic data
UK public sector net borrowing improved more than expected in October. The monthly budget shortfall was cut from £6.4bn in the year ago period to £4.8bn, Office for National Statistics said. The market was looking for an improvement to £6.7bn.
In other news, Confederation of British Industry's (CBI) monthly survey of manufacturers showed the balance of total orders improved to -3 in November, from -17 in October, well above the long run average of -20.
Elsewhere, Capital Economics' China Activity Proxy index showed China's country's GDP growth accelerated from 5.6% in September to 6.0% year-on-year in October, its fastest pace since February 2014.
Corporate news
Shares in Hikma Pharmaceuticals rose after it signed a development and licensing agreement with Vectura for its generic salmeterol product (VR730) for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AstraZeneca edged higher after it said it would resume enrolment for a new cancer drug trial after the US Food and Drug Administration lifted a partial clinical hold on the enrolment of new patients with head and neck cancer.
International distribution and outsourcing group Bunzl ticked just a touch higher as it entered into agreements to buy two businesses in France and Denmark for an undisclosed sum.
Shares in Lloyds Banking Group were in the black as the UK government cut its stake in the bank to just under 8%.
Food services company Compass Group was on the back foot despite posting a rise in full-year pre-tax profit, while Kingfisher declined as the home improvement retailer said sales kept improving in the third quarter, but like-for-like sales growth slowed due to further softness in France.
Market Movers
FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,819.72 0.62%
FTSE 250 (MCX) 17,679.06 0.86%
techMARK (TASX) 3,281.89 -0.44%
FTSE 100 - Risers
Anglo American (AAL) 1,208.00p 7.62%
Glencore (GLEN) 282.45p 5.33%
BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,334.00p 4.92%
Admiral Group (ADM) 1,967.00p 3.85%
Centrica (CNA) 202.50p 3.74%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,073.00p 3.49%
Standard Life (SL.) 353.40p 3.09%
Antofagasta (ANTO) 702.00p 3.01%
Old Mutual (OML) 192.00p 2.95%
Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 356.00p 2.74%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Compass Group (CPG) 1,326.00p -4.67%
Babcock International Group (BAB) 945.00p -4.64%
Fresnillo (FRES) 1,282.00p -3.61%
Kingfisher (KGF) 358.00p -3.16%
Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 5,815.00p -3.16%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 4,205.50p -2.77%
Polymetal International (POLY) 762.00p -2.56%
Shire Plc (SHP) 4,601.50p -2.35%
Mediclinic International (MDC) 730.50p -2.21%
Intertek Group (ITRK) 3,178.00p -2.03%
FTSE 250 - Risers
Rotork (ROR) 226.60p 13.07%
BGEO Group (BGEO) 3,135.00p 12.00%
Evraz (EVR) 262.80p 9.27%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 852.50p 6.10%
Inmarsat (ISAT) 742.00p 5.85%
Mitie Group (MTO) 201.00p 5.79%
Aldermore Group (ALD) 211.80p 5.43%
Paragon Group Of Companies (PAG) 362.00p 4.59%
Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 155.20p 4.09%
OneSavings Bank (OSB) 337.50p 3.76%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Entertainment One Limited (ETO) 214.50p -12.73%
Acacia Mining (ACA) 407.80p -7.93%
TalkTalk Telecom Group (TALK) 164.00p -4.09%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 265.20p -3.40%
Halma (HLMA) 971.00p -3.38%
Hochschild Mining (HOC) 222.50p -3.30%
CYBG (CYBG) 285.70p -3.05%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 132.50p -2.93%
Essentra (ESNT) 382.90p -2.64%
Greene King (GNK) 739.00p -1.86%