03.02.202608:46:19UTC+00FTSE 100 Trade at Record-High

On Tuesday, the FTSE 100 experienced a modest uptick, positioning itself near its record high of approximately 10,360. This improvement was largely attributable to a rebound in the precious and base metals sector, which bolstered mining stocks following two consecutive sessions of declines. Precious metals such as gold and silver saw a recovery, which positively impacted mining shares. Notably, Endeavour saw an increase of over 5.5%, while Fresnillo rose by more than 4%. Strength in copper prices also contributed to a rise in Antofagasta shares by upwards of 3%. Other significant players in the mining industry also showed gains, with Anglo American, Glencore, and Rio Tinto all experiencing upward movements.

In the broader FTSE 250 market, AG Barr's shares surged by over 7% following its announcement of acquiring juice manufacturer Frobishers and botanical brewer Fentimans. Additionally, Plus500's stock rose by 6.7% after the company revealed plans to delve into the US prediction market through its US B2C platform, utilizing products from Kalshi.

Despite these upsides in the mining and mid-cap sectors, gains were somewhat offset by a dip in more defensive stocks. Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca saw a decrease of over 1%, while information and analytics company Relx experienced a nearly 3% decline.