BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks rallied on Monday, with commodity-related stocks surging as oil prices rose over $1 a barrel, supported by output cuts and signs of gradual demand recovery.
The benchmark FTSE 100 was up 128 points, or 2.21 percent, at 5,928 after rising about 1 percent on Friday.
Energy majors BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc surged around 4 percent, while mining giant Anglo American soared 6.2 percent, Antofagasta rallied 3.3 percent and Glencore advanced 5.1 percent.
AstraZeneca gained 1.7 percent. The company said it would make up to 30 million doses of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine by September if the vaccine is successful.
Gold mining company Centamin jumped 5 percent. The company maintained its 2020 production outlook after reporting a rise in FY19 underlying EBITDA.
Vodafone shares rose about 1 percent. The telecommunications firm has partnered with Oppo to bring a range of handsets made by the Chinese smartphone brand, including 5G-ready devices, to Vodafone's European markets starting from May.
Ryanair Holdings jumped more than 9 percent. The budget airline said it has received a 600 million-pound ($726 million) loan backed by the U.K. government.
In economic releases, U.K. household finances remained under severe pressure in May, survey data from IHS Markit showed.
The Household Finance Index, which measures households' overall perceptions of financial well-being, came in at 37.8 in May, up only slightly from April's eight-and-a-half year low of 34.9.
Although the index rose from April, the figure remained indicative of a strong degree of pessimism towards the outlook for financial health.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX