The FTSE 100 rose more than 0.5% on Thursday, in line with gains across major European markets. The advance was underpinned by a global rebound in technology sentiment, robust corporate updates, and renewed takeover activity. HSBC added 1.1%, 3i surged 11.5%, and AstraZeneca climbed 1.1%, with additional strength coming from banking, mining, and consumer stocks.
Budget carrier EasyJet jumped more than 6% after rebuffing a fourth takeover bid from investment firm Castlelake, while at the same time extending the deadline for any potential future offers. Barclays gained nearly 3% after revealing that its US business had surpassed required capital buffers in the latest Federal Reserve stress tests.
By contrast, energy heavyweights Shell and BP closed lower, weighed down by a choppy oil market that spent most of the session in negative territory before staging a late recovery in UK trading on renewed concerns over crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
