The FTSE 100 traded about 0.5% higher on Tuesday, lifted by strength in healthcare and mining shares. AstraZeneca and GSK each gained more than 2%, while miners Antofagasta, Anglo American, Glencore, Fresnillo and Rio Tinto advanced between 1.4% and 2%.
Energy stocks underperformed, with Shell and BP lagging even as Brent crude remained higher on the day, though still below Monday’s peak. Utilities were another drag on the index, with National Grid slipping 1.4%.
On the macroeconomic front, UK shop-price inflation eased in September, indicating that retailers continued to absorb part of the cost pressures rather than fully passing them on to consumers. According to the British Retail Consortium, shop prices rose 1.4% year-on-year, down from 1.5% in August.
