The FTSE 100 finished about 0.2% higher at 10,466 on Friday, its strongest close since April 22, as global markets showed signs of stabilizing and investors weighed the prospects of a US-Iran agreement. Sentiment was also shaped by a sharper-than-expected fall in UK retail sales and higher-than-forecast government borrowing, data which, alongside other releases this week, dampened expectations of a Bank of England interest rate increase.
On the corporate front, Games Workshop surged nearly 8% to lead the index after forecasting higher revenue and profit for the year to May, even as it flagged softer licensing income. Other notable gainers included Rightmove (up 7.3%), Croda International (4.3%), Metlen Energy & Metals (3.6%) and Rolls-Royce Holdings (3.4%). At the bottom of the leaderboard, Convatec fell 3.2%, BP declined 2.5% and Experian slipped 2%. For the week, the FTSE 100 advanced 2.7%.
