Britain’s FTSE 100 closed at a record high on Friday, capping a strong week for London equities, as financial stocks gained following upbeat results from NatWest and signs of cooling inflation pressures in the United States.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 CURRENCYCOM:UK100 finished 0.7% higher at 9,645.62 points, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 MCX gained 0.75% to end at 22,529.02 – a level not seen since early 2022.
The internationally-focused FTSE 100 also notched up its biggest weekly rise in over six months as investors globally cheered U.S. data showing consumer prices rose less than expected in September, firming expectations for an interest cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve when it meets next week.
Markets were also hopeful that a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping next week could soothe trade tensions between the two economic powers.
It has also been a good week for domestically-focused companies,…
