The FTSE 100 rose 0.9% on Friday, with broad-based gains across most sectors more than offsetting weakness in energy shares. RELX was among the strongest performers, climbing about 5%, while Rolls-Royce advanced more than 3%. London Stock Exchange Group and British American Tobacco also added over 2%.
Reckitt Benckiser traded higher after announcing the sale of its Russian hygiene business to Arnest Management, a deal expected to result in a post-tax loss of roughly £175 million.
In contrast, energy heavyweights Shell and BP each declined more than 1% as oil prices fell. The pullback followed reports that Pakistan, with Chinese support, was seeking to revive US–Iran peace talks, easing concerns about potential supply disruptions.
On the macroeconomic front, UK retail sales unexpectedly increased by 1% in June, defying expectations for a 0.3% decline. Separately, the latest S&P Global PMI survey showed that UK business activity returned to expansion and surpassed market forecasts.
For the week, the FTSE 100 gained approximately 1.3%.
