The FTSE 100 closed marginally higher on Thursday, gaining 0.1% in a choppy session led by strength in mining stocks, marking the index’s fifth straight day of gains. In contrast, the FTSE 250 slipped 0.2%, weighed down by losses in travel and retail names.
Industrial metal miners were among the day’s standout performers, rising 1.8% as copper prices reached a two-month high. Precious metal miners fared even better, with sector gains of 3.5%.
However, gains in the blue-chip index were tempered by ex-dividend trading in WPP and J Sainsbury, which pressured their share prices and dragged on the broader market.
In the mid-cap space, Wizz Air plunged 27.9% after reporting a 62% drop in annual operating profit, citing capacity issues stemming from grounded aircraft. The sell-off also weighed on peers, with easyJet and IAG (the owner of British Airways) both down by around 1%.
On the upside, Dr Martens surged 25.8% after forecasting a return to profit growth for the current financial year, buoyed by a better-than-expected full-year update and signs of improving trading momentum.
