BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks advanced on Monday and the pound slipped amid increased restrictions in England to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Signs of progress in Brexit trade talks and data showing that recovery in the U.K. manufacturing sector continued in October helped underpin investor sentiment to some extent.
The benchmark FTSE 100 climbed 44 points, or 0.8 percent, to 5,620 after closing 0.1 percent lower on Friday.
Travel-related stocks were moving lower as England goes into second lockdown for one month.
British Airways parent IAG fell 1.7 percent, budget airline EasyJet tumbled 3 percent and engine maker Rolls-Royce lost 2 percent.
Primark owner Associated British Foods declined 1.5 percent. The company warned its budget clothing chain faces a massive £375 million loss of sales due to store closures amid new Covid-19 lockdowns across Europe.
Ladbrokes owner GVC lost 1.7 percent after a warning that the imminent four-week lockdown in the U.K. will cost the company an estimated £37 million.
Outsourcer Serco slumped 14 percent after it lost a Ministry of Defense contract to provide nuclear warheads.
Online supermarket Ocado surged 9 percent after lifting its FY EBITDA guidance.
Food delivery group Just Eat Takeaway jumped 3.5 percent on expectations of a surge in demand once the second lockdown takes effect this week.
Gold and silver producer Polymetal International gained 1.4 percent after it agreed a $125 million Green Loan under the newly adopted Green Financing Framework with Societe Generale.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX