FTSE 100 up, metal miners drive gains

London equities started the week positively, driven by a rally among metal miners, as the FTSE 100 rose by 0.2 per cent and the mid-cap FTSE 250 climbed 0.3 per cent as of 0711 GMT on Monday, Reuters reported.

The gains were led by precious metal miners and industrial metal miners, following a surge in bullion prices and a record peak in copper prices. This was triggered by China’s property stimulus measures and positive industrial output data.

Investors are eagerly awaiting a speech from the Bank of England’s Deputy Governor, Ben Broadbent, for potential hints on the timing of the first rate cut.

In corporate news, AstraZeneca’s shares fell by 0.2 per cent following the announcement of a $1.5 billion manufacturing facility in Singapore.

Meanwhile, shares of Keywords Studios soared by 63.3 per cent as EQT, a European private equity group, is in advanced talks to acquire the Dublin-based video game services company for $2.79 billion.