British equities rallied at the start of a new week, with the FTSE 100 closing 0.41% higher on Monday, as the potential rise in UK defense spending boosted shares of aerospace and defense company BAE Systems (BA.L) to the top of the blue-chip index at 8.96%.
As the US pushes for a quick end to the Ukraine war, European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, are gathering in Paris for an emergency summit on the matter. It is unclear whether the talks will lead to a concrete outcome, according to media reports.
In corporate news, Anglo American (AAL, AGL.JO) shares climbed 0.43% after the British mining giant proposed to demerge its platinum business in June. The split is pending governance and regulatory approvals, as well as shareholder approval at an annual general meeting on April 30.
“Consistent with our commitment to deliver a responsible demerger, Anglo American intends to retain a 19.9% shareholding in Anglo…


