LONDON: U.K. stocks rose for a second day as mining stocks led gains.The FTSE 100 Index advanced 0.7 percent to 6,766.25 at 8:52 a.m. in London. The benchmark gauge has still lost 2.8 percent since its March 5 record as energy shares tumbled and concern grew that the Federal Reserve is moving closer to an interest-rate increase.
BHP Billiton Ltd. and Standard Chartered Plc are among eight FTSE 100 companies trading ex-dividend today, wiping about 8.3 points off the index. The broader FTSE All-Share Index added 0.6 percent today, while Ireland’s ISEQ Index gained 0.9 percent to the highest since 2008.
A gauge of mining stocks rallied, with Randgold Resources Ltd., Antofagasta Plc and Fresnillo Plc up at least 2.5 percent. ITV Plc added 1.7 percent after agreeing to buy Talpa Media BV for as much as 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion).
Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc dropped 1.6 percent after the grocer cut its dividend and said profit fell last year by half. Serco Group Plc tumbled 12 percent, the most since December, after saying it plans to raise 555 million pounds ($831 million) in a rights issue.
