VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - U.K. shares extended recent gains to hit a record high on Tuesday as traders returned to their desks following a long holiday weekend.
The U.K. manufacturing sector expanded at the fastest pace in 30 months in December, survey results from IHS Markit showed today, helping boost investor sentiment.
The Markit/CIPS Manufacturing PMI rose to 56.1, the strongest reading since June 2014, from 53.6 in November. The score was well above its long-run average of 51.5 and the expected level of 53.2.
German unemployment data and inflation figures out of France also painted a positive picture of regional economies.
The U.K.'s FTSE 100 was up 29 points or 0.41 percent at 7,171 in late opening deals after hitting a record high of 7,205 earlier in the session.
Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore climbed 1-3 percent as Chinese factory activity data pointed to stabilization in the world's second largest economy.
Oil major Tullow Oil rallied more than 3 percent as a historical deal between Opec and non-Opec member countries kicked off on Sunday.
Banks such as HSBC Holdings, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Standard Chartered and Lloyds Banking Group rallied 1-2 percent.
Britvic shares advanced 1.5 percent as the soft drinks maker announced an agreement in principle to acquire Bela Ischia Alimentos Ltda, a concentrates and juice business in Brazil, for a total cash consideration of R$218 million or about 54.5 million pounds.
London Stock Exchange Group slid half a percent after it agreed to sell the French unit of its derivative clearing business to Euronext for 510 million euros (434.41 million pounds).
Retailer Next slumped over 4 percent after analysts at Deutsche Bank downgraded their rating on the stock to 'hold' from 'buy'.
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