BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - A rally in energy stocks helped lift U.K. markets on Tuesday as trading resumed after a long holiday weekend.
Investors also watched the latest political developments as Prime Minister Theresa May faces an unprecedented no-confidence challenge from Conservative grassroots campaigners over her handling of Brexit.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 25 points or 0.33 percent at 7,484.
Barclays shares fell 2.4 percent. The British bank plans to cut bonuses for investment bankers to enhance returns at the bank's underperforming investment division, according to the Financial Times.
BP Plc rallied 2.2 percent and Royal Dutch Shelll advanced 1.8 percent as oil prices held near 1019 highs.
Fears surrounding higher fuel costs sent airline stocks lower, with easyJet down nearly 4 percent and International Consolidated Airlines declining 3.2 percent.
STV Group was down almost 2 percent. The media company expects to report total advertising revenue growth of between 1-2 percent in its first quarter.
Thomas Cook soared as much as 16 percent on reports the travel company has received bids for parts of its business and the company as a whole.
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