Sector movers: Asia-focused financials climb highest
For most of the day only two or three sector were in the red as investors decided it was a day for buying, with most hay being made in the electricity, life insurance and banking sectors.
As the FTSE 100 climbed back to levels not seen since last October, equities around the world were being lifted by the risk-on mood following better than expected manufacturing data from both China and the US, which comes on the back of positive words on both sides about reaching a trade accord.
"Figures from the Eurozone further supported the recent slowdown for the bloc, but in aggregate it seems that investors are looking through the negatives to focus on the positives and while this remains the case further upside could lie ahead," said market analyst David Cheetham at XTB.
All three electricity stocks were on the front foot, led by ContourGlobal.
Banks were almost all in the green, with Standard Chartered and HSBC, both notably with considerable exposure to Asia, were leading the way. Prudential, which likewise has a big focus on China, was the top riser among life insurers, well ahead of rises for rivals.
The only banks in the red were UK focused CYBG and Royal Bank of Scotland, along with Georgia's TBC Bank.
Other UK-focused stocks were among the fallers, including housebuilders and retailers, as parliament struggled to find a way forward for Brexit, with the cliff face of no-deal just 10 days away.
Top performing sectors so far today
Electricity +2.15%
Life Insurance +2.00%
Banks +1.67%
Forestry & Paper +1.58%
Technology Hardware & Equipment +1.52%
Bottom performing sectors so far today
Aerospace and Defence -0.34%
Leisure Goods -0.19%
Household Goods & Home Construction -0.14%
Mobile Telecommunications +0.23%
Personal Goods +0.33%
Market Movers
FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,391.91 1.02%
FTSE 250 (MCX) 19,309.79 0.37%
techMARK (TASX) 3,546.65 0.47%
FTSE 100 - Risers
NMC Health (NMC) 2,426.00p 3.63%
Prudential (PRU) 1,610.50p 3.44%
Standard Chartered (STAN) 631.80p 3.30%
Informa (INF) 765.00p 2.96%
Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,925.00p 2.58%
SSE (SSE) 1,184.11p 2.52%
Centrica (CNA) 115.85p 2.39%
British American Tobacco (BATS) 3,203.50p 2.19%
Micro Focus International (MCRO) 2,042.00p 2.05%
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 4,700.00p 2.01%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 905.40p -1.29%
Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK) 1,824.00p -0.82%
Persimmon (PSN) 2,155.00p -0.74%
Next (NXT) 5,606.00p -0.50%
Auto Trader Group (AUTO) 519.00p -0.46%
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 501.80p -0.44%
Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 246.70p -0.40%
Vodafone Group (VOD) 141.40p -0.33%
AstraZeneca (AZN) 6,150.00p -0.31%
Fresnillo (FRES) 859.40p -0.21%
FTSE 250 - Risers
Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,292.00p 4.36%
Ashmore Group (ASHM) 445.60p 4.21%
Wizz Air Holdings (WIZZ) 2,997.00p 4.06%
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 273.40p 3.88%
Renishaw (RSW) 3,999.75p 3.19%
Hunting (HTG) 612.50p 3.03%
TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) 195.60p 2.95%
Drax Group (DRX) 389.40p 2.69%
Amigo Holdings (AMGO) 184.80p 2.67%
FDM Group (Holdings) (FDM) 939.00p 2.62%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Dixons Carphone (DC.) 139.50p -3.63%
Just Group (JUST) 58.30p -3.32%
Vivo Energy (VVO) 122.40p -3.01%
Intu Properties (INTU) 105.40p -2.99%
Equiniti Group (EQN) 209.40p -2.79%
Capita (CPI) 122.20p -2.67%
Hilton Food Group (HFG) 921.00p -2.44%
Clarkson (CKN) 2,385.00p -2.25%
Kier Group (KIE) 352.98p -2.06%
Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 368.20p -1.81%