FTSE 100 gains after Fed's softer tone; eyes on GDP data

FTSE 100 up 0.5%; FTSE 250 up 0.10%

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Traders expect BoE to cut rates next week

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Precious metal miners jump as gold, silver climb

Dec 11 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 rose on Thursday, buoyed by gains in precious metal miners, after the Federal Reserve's softer tone on the monetary policy path supported sentiment globally.

The FTSE 100 closed up 0.5%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 index added 0.10%.

The Fed lowered rates by an expected 25 basis points in a divided vote on Wednesday, but signalled interest rates are unlikely to fall further in the near term as it awaits clarity on the labour market.

Still, traders continued to bet on more easing from the U.S. central bank.

Even as Wall Street indexes wobbled on concerns about lofty AI spending by tech companies, other pockets of the equity markets rose. Europe's STOXX 600 index closed up 0.6%.

Investors are looking ahead to the UK's October GDP data on Friday for clues on the health of the domestic economy.

The Bank of England is widely expected to cut interest rates next week, with a Reuters poll showing all economists forecasting a 25-basis-point cut to 3.75%, as easing inflation and softer economic signals sway a narrowly split MPC toward loosening policy.

The FTSE 350 precious metal miners rose 3.2%, as gold and silver prices climbed against a weaker dollar following the Fed's rate cut.

Among individual stocks, Entain fell 2.2% after the gambling firm said International Distribution Services executive Michael Snape will replace finance chief and deputy CEO Rob Wood next year.

Industrial and electronic components provider RS Group topped the FTSE 250 with a 6.2% gain after a rating upgrade from J.P. Morgan, while Ceres Power slid 10.6% after Grizzly Research disclosed a short position in the clean-energy firm.

Entain

RS Group

Ceres Power

Pearson

Unilever

Drax