FTSE 100 movers: Brexit hopes boost banks and housebuilders; exporters hit

London's FTSE 100 was up 0.6% at 7,229.29 in afternoon trade on Friday as investors grew increasingly hopeful that a Brexit deal will be agreed.

Banks and housebuilders were the top performers amid Brexit hopes, with RBS, Lloyds, Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Barratt Developments all higher.

On the downside, advertising giant WPP was under the cosh after French peer Publicis cut its sales outlook again.

Burberry was also in the red after German luxury fashion brand Hugo Boss downgraded its 2019 earnings forecast.

Dollar-earners such as British American Tobacco, Diageo, GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever and Imperial Brands were all weaker as the pound surged versus the dollar.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 224.00p 14.37%
Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 165.90p 12.28%
Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 59.14p 12.28%
Persimmon (PSN) 2,310.00p 11.97%
Auto Trader Group (AUTO) 548.20p 11.67%
Barratt Developments (BDEV) 651.60p 11.04%
Kingfisher (KGF) 210.60p 9.23%
Legal & General Group (LGEN) 261.50p 8.51%
Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 4,343.00p 8.20%
Rightmove (RMV) 567.80p 8.15%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,684.50p -4.47%
Diageo (DGE) 3,200.50p -3.64%
WPP (WPP) 930.40p -3.47%
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,667.40p -2.61%
Unilever (ULVR) 4,657.00p -2.56%
Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,998.17p -2.43%
Fresnillo (FRES) 639.00p -2.32%
Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,844.50p -2.20%
BP (BP.) 491.50p -2.09%
Imperial Brands (IMB) 1,834.60p -2.03%