NEW YORK: UK stocks started higher, FTSE 100 index surged 19 to 21 points to 0.3 percent on Wednesday trade.
Britain’s FTSE 100 index is seen opening 19 to 21 points higher, or as much as 0.3 percent, on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers.
The UK blue chip index closed 1.3 percent higher in the previous session at 6,871.80 points, near its highest level since September 2014.
Negotiations made no progress on Tuesday as Royal Dutch Shell and union leaders haggled over a new wage contract for U.S. refinery workers who have been on strike for three days, the union said.
U.S. regulators are considering naming BP and its entities in an enforcement action alleging the British oil major violated anti-fraud and reporting rules while using Canadian oil pipelines, BP said in its quarterly results statement on Tuesday.
Oil prices fell as renewed concerns over global demand and high stock levels halted a rally that pushed up prices by about 19 percent over the past four sessions.
London copper futures reversed early losses to trade higher, building on the strongest gains since mid-2013 overnight.
